Whose Got Your Back?

Who's Got Your Back?

Sunday eve, Mother’s Day, I was basically forced into watching a movie that I had no interest in.  How may you ask? I was exhausted after a very long morning, and decided to plant myself on the sofa.  An area usually unknown by my presence as I am usually on the go most of the time.  I rarely spend time in the living room.  If I’m not in my kitchen or at desk working, I’m driving somewhere.  Not today, I vowed.  I was not going to move once I got there.  I even had Hubby bring in my snuggly, and pillow…just in case I dropped into a coma of sweet dreams.

However, as I am laying there, my husband, and two of my boys had formed a consensus against my wishes to watch a chick flick, and not even a romantic one at that…just one of those feel good ones.  After all, it was supposed to be the day of which a mom had the right to choose whatever she wants right?  They put in “The Hobbit” the prequel to “Lord of the Rings”.  Now I realize this movie series has been famous and popular for years.  There are seriously dedicated Hobbit fans!

However, this type of movie just isn’t my sort of crave.  It’s full of freaky looking trolls, dwarfs, goblins, and faces that looked more like a grotesquely marred armpit, then any of the ugliest creatures I’ve seen.  

Then there is this horrible dragon with really bad dental issues.  Ugh...the sights and sounds almost caused me to go hibernate in the bedroom, but I couldn’t budge.  Too tired.  I tried to dose off in between the raging maniac battles, and demonic sounds of chaos of good versus evil, but it wasn’t happening.  Instead, I became mesmerized at a scenario that seriously caught my attention.  No, it captivated me!

There is a scene in the beginning of the movie where a father is fighting off a dragon named, Smaug.  Who was considered to be a "great" fire drake of the Third Age, considered to be the last "great" dragon to exist in Middle Earth. Smaug was furious as he swarmed back and forth over the village breathing fire, destroying, maiming, and killing everything in its path. 

"My armor is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail is a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!" —The Hobbit, Inside Information

The scene:

Smaug, after reaching Lake-town, proceeds to destroy the city for their part in aiding the Dwarves. Bard, the father of Bain… having escaped imprisonment from the Master of Laketown, climbs atop the belltower and tries to shoot Smaug with arrows, though each attempt fails, harmlessly bouncing off Smaug's armor.

Eventually, Bain, Bard's son, arrives to aid his father with a Black Arrow. Unfortunately, as Smaug flies over, he claws at the tower. With the tower now being half-destroyed, Bard is forced to make a makeshift crossbow using a rope that held a bell, some pieces of broken wood, and use his son, Bain as a stand.  

Now picture this, the dragon is now viciously aware that the son is there, a precious commodity to the father, and wants to destroy him.  He not only breaths out fire at this point, but wickedly proclaims his attack.  Bain is trembling in fear, but still standing by his father.  Smaug lands, and looks towards Bard, sneering at his attempts to stop him.  The father braces himself on this broken tower positioning his son, with Bain facing him.  He balances the arrow across his son’s shoulder instructing him to be still. Bain’s back is to the dragon approaching, and becoming more threatening.  Bain keeps looking back as he can feel the heat of fire approaching.  Father using hand gesture, begs his son...“Keep looking at me, stay focused on me”.  “Be still!” 

The son would start to look back and the father would remind him, “Look at me”.  Bard notches the arrow, while Smaug charges him and his son. Bard fires his arrow, which hits Smaug straight in the chest on his weak spot. The dragon stumbles, knocking Bard and Bain off their perch, before flying back up. Clawing and biting at the sky, his internal glow fades as he dies in mid-air. Smaug's body, upon falling to the water, lands on Laketown's corrupt master, killing him.   

I couldn’t take my eyes off the movie at that point.  What really got me, is that we live in a world with a real demonic presence.  This isn’t fairy tale.  That breathing dragon in the movie is no different than the one that seeks whom he may devour on this earth.   

Think about this.  As believers in Christ, we often find ourselves having to fight off the Smaug’s, trolls, and goblins.  Some are uglier than the other.  Then there are some that are so beautiful, you can easily be deceived if not grounded in God's word, or walking with the leading of the Holy Spirit.  

Yet, either way they all come from the same family of demonic power…Satan!  He and his posse fight hard to take down the villagers of hope.  He wants to deceive the dedicated, tear down the true.  He wants to do whatever it takes to keep you trembling in fear and disbelief.  Yet, our Father (Abba) is asking us to keep our eyes on Him.  I can hear Him now saying.  “Stay focused, don’t look behind you fearing the attack”, “I GOT YOUR BACK”! 

“Be still and know that I AM GOD!” (Psalm 46:10)

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.  Psalm 91:4 NIV

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10 NIV

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deut 31:6 NIV

I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Psalm16:8 NIV

What a beautiful revelation to think of a father, but not just any father standing there telling their child…don’t move, don’t look back… “Trust ME”… “Don’t let the ugly threats take your focus off of ME.  I will take the enemy down, just watch me”.

Revelation 12:9

And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Satan has especially waged war on women beginning with (EVE) and the rest of her offspring (which means anyone living) of those who hold true to their testimony of Christ.  But his time is coming!  Just know that in the realm of the unseen there are angels battling it out right now, and a Father who is urging us to stand still and secure ourselves in Him.  Whose got your back?  Our Abba Father,
El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty), Jehovah Shammah (The Lord is there), Jehovah Jireh (The Lord will provide), Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord our righteousness), Jehova Shalom (The Lord is PEACE).

Revelation 12:17 (NIV)

Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.

Revelation 20:2 (NIV)

He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

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Brenda A. Graff
Founder
FOOD FOR SOUL MAGAZINE