Day 10, Love that CONQUERs death

   In April of 2018 Avengers Infinity War came to theaters. Thanos, the villain of the film, figures out a way to wipe out half of all life in the universe. With just a snap of his fingers it was done. Isn't that like life? It seems like in just a snap of our fingers life can change so quickly. Our current plans, dreams and desires suddenly go out the window. 
     Renowned author Joseph Campbell was the creator of the "Hero's Journey," which is a type of mythological story telling. Star Wars creator George Lucas said he got his inspiration from Campbell's template and most writers and directors still follow his template today. Campbell came up with a meta-narrative arc that he believed most stories followed. 
    First, there is a Call to Adventure, where the hero leaves home for a new adventure or to answer a calling. Then comes The Threshold, where the hero faces battles that humble him or her.  Then comes The Abyss, where the hero is finally defeated and broken.The Abyss is a type of Hell. In Infinity War, the Abyss comes as the loss of half of humanity. The Abyss is where death happens. It is the part of the story when the hero dies in some way. Who the hero thought he or she has now been destroyed. 
      But Campbell said that the Abyss is a place where transformation takes place. Only when all is truly lost and stripped away can the hero finally become who they are meant to be. They no longer are held back by their wants and desires but they are humbled and stronger than ever. The next phase is Atonement, where the hero makes amends with the past and others. When things fall apart in our lives we are challenged to humble ourselves and make amends with the past so we can move forward. Atonement can only come after a death. Dying to our old ways sometimes looks like letting go of anger, hurt and rejection. Offering forgiveness to ourselves and others releases us to move forward. 
        The last phase is The Journey Home. This is when the fight is over and the hero heads home, even if home has changed. I believe this model is seen in Biblical story telling. We see multiple Biblical figures who have lived in the Abyss. Job, Noah, Naomi, Paul, Adam and Eve just to name a few. I believe we see this throughout our Bible because God is trying to get our attention. He reminds us that when there is catastrophic loss there is also a comeback like we have never dreamed. 
      The most notable person to enter the Abyss and come back is Jesus. Our Savior who entered death on a cross concurred the Abyss and was raised from the dead three days later. God is reminding us that there is nothing this side of eternity that will keep us from him. There is a life after death and there is a home after all is lost. We will have a part II to our Infinity War. There is an End Game. You may not get back exactly what you have lost in the Abyss, but God will give back more than what was lost in the first place. 

 "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will not exist any more - or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the former things have ceased to exist." 
Revelations 21:4 (NET Bible) 
       God gives a life after the Abyss. It may not look like what we originally wanted, but it is far better than we could ever imagine. God doesn't just promise Revelation 21:4 on the day He returns. He promises it every day. We may encounter death in our lives, but there is so much more life God has to give than there is death. 
   Devotional Questions

•    Have you ever experienced an Abyss in your life? 
•    How did it transform you? 
•   Where are you now in your own Hero’s Journey? 
•    What promises does God whisper to your heart today? Ask Him today in prayer.​