Devotions
Destiny verses Time
By Rev. Jeff Dixon, Senior Equipping Minister, CCC Ministries
Jun 4, 2008, 07:54

Destiny verses Time

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull marked the return of the hero after nearly 20 years on the big screen.

Indiana Jones may not be as spry as he once was, but never underestimate an archaeologist with a bullwhip and a fedora. Many years have gone by since Indy's "Last Crusade," but when he discovers that one of his old friends, Professor Oxley, has been captured by Russian KGB agents, he swings back into action. It seems his colleague has located an object of great power, a crystal skull said to grant dominion to whoever returns it to its rightful place. Joined by a young man, Mutt Williams, and re-teamed with Marion Ravenwood (from Raiders of the Lost Ark, Doctor Jones must race against time to find the crystal skull before the Russians exact its location from Professor Oxley. As always, the fate of the world rests on his success. Is Indy good for one last great heroic quest?

As the film unfolds...

It is the early 50s at the height of the Cold War. After surviving a nuclear blast in the Nevada desert while escaping from Russians who kidnapped him and took him to Area 51 (all in the first few minutes of the film), Indiana Jones has mistakenly become a "person of interest" to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Professor Jones' friend, Dean Charles Stanforth, calls him out of his classroom to tell him that federal agents have been ransacking his office. Apparently someone thinks that Indy is mixed up with Communists. When Indy objects, and says that Stanforth should have done something about it, Stanforth replies, "They have every right! They weren't vandals. They were federal agents with search warrants. The university isn't going to get itself embroiled in that kind of controversy. Not in this charged climate."

Clearly irritated, Indy says, "So you're firing me." Stanforth assures Indy that he is not fired, "A leave of absence is all. An indefinite leave of absence."

Indy responds, "You ARE firing me."

Stanforth interrupts and says that Indy will get his full salary during the leave. But Indy is mad, "I don't want their money!"

Stanforth is obviously sick about the whole affair. He slumps against the wall and says, "Please don't be foolish. You don't know what I had to do to get that for you."

Thinking that Stanforth's "sacrifice" was probably nothing more than academic posturing, Indy leans in and sarcastically says, "What exactly did you have to go through, Charlie?"

Stanforth says, "I resigned."

The scene changes. Charles is at Indy's house watching him pack. They talk about his plans: where he intends to go, what he intends to do. Indy is thinking of teaching in Europe. Stanforth says that there is "nothing to keep you here. I hardly recognize this country. The government's got us seeing communists in our soup. When the hysteria reaches academia, I guess it's time to call it a career."

Indy asks how Stanforth's wife took the news of his resignation. Stanforth replies, "How does any wife take such things? The look on her face was a combination of pride and panic."

Indy feels remorseful about the way he treated Stanforth earlier, saying that he "never should have doubted you, my friend." But Stanforth holds no grudges, saying that in this environment it is hard to trust anyone.

Indy looks at the pictures on his desk, and says, "Brutal couple of years, eh Charlie? First Dad, then Marcus."

"We seem to have reached the age when life stops giving us things and starts taking them away."

Indy then looks longingly at the photos on his desk of his late father and friend.

Devotional Thought

Indiana Jones is in the twilight of his career. Indiana thinks that he will now be able to continue his life as it has always been -- in Indy's case, a life of hair-raising adventures punctuated by the quiet academic life.

But as he notes in this scene, it has "been a brutal couple of years." His father has died. His best friend has passed away. And now he has lost his job, and has gone from being a decorated officer to a suspected communist.

All he has built is crumbling. Stanforth has it right. We all get to a point in life in which "Time stops giving us things and starts taking them away."

While we cannot stop time's relentless march, we can safeguard our lives against the ravages of time in two ways.

First, we can beat death through life in Christ.

Second, we CAN take it with us if we send it all ahead.

What I mean by that is that we must all ask ourselves the question what are we investing our lives in? This moment, right now, we have something very clearly explained that we must be doing...we must follow Him.

As we follow we begin to live a life that is no longer about us, but about being who we were created and destined to be. In that moment something changes.

If we invest ourselves here, we will ultimately reap nothing. But if we invest our time, talent, and treasure in eternal things, then we are placing them beyond the reach of time and death.

How do you value your talent, your time, and your treasures? Will moths and rust destroy your accomplishments? Or will you invest all you have with the One who can protect your destiny? If we give our all to God, we need not worry about what time will do with us.

Destiny is always in a constant battle with Time.

Following Jesus makes sure that you don't waste time and that destiny wins!