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Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Desmond, LOST, & Hebrews 13:8



My wife, Amber, and I finished another episode of the one of a kind show LOST. We are in the middle of the fourth season and just watched an episode which left me breathless and clinging to the Christian parallel which was so easy to see.

For those of you who have never watched LOST: reading this post will not ruin the show for you. Also, if you are trying to go against the tide of those who watch LOST, I would encourage you to give LOST a chance for it has many Christian parallels. Amber and I do not own a television, but if the only way we could watch LOST was on t.v., I would greatly think about buying one.

In this particular episode, Desmond and Sayid (pronounced Si-eed) are being transported off of the island and back to the freighter. During their flight, Desmond's mind begins to play tricks on him and he is now going back and forth in time between a part of his life in the past and then back to current time with Sayid. Each time he goes back and forth in time, his body remains in both places being unconscious in one place and both conscious and utterly confused as to what is happening to him in the other. When he returns to current time, Desmond no longer recognizes Sayid and has no idea where he is and why he is there.

When those left on the island found out about Desmond's condition, Daniel Farraday calls him from the island telling Desmond the next time he goes back in time to find Daniel at Oxford University.

When Desmond finds Daniel and meets him, Daniel tells Desmond if he wants to fix this he has to think of a constant, that is, something which is important and dear to Desmond that is in both places: his past and present.



Desmond's constant is his true love, Penelope (Penny). Desmond was going to ask Penny to marry him until he broke off their relationship, but he was still in love with her. He has been separated from her since he has been on the island.

Desmond finds Penny and tells him he needs her new phone number. Penny thinks he is crazy, but gives it to him. He tells her he will call her eight years from that moment, on December 24 - Christmas Eve. While this is happening in past time, in present time Sayid and unconscious Desmond are now on the freighter and Sayid fixes a broken phone to a battery, making it possible for Desmond to call Penny. Desmond calls and ring upon ring the suspense en-captures us until finally, Desmond hears Penny's voice for the first time in years.

She believed that he would call. They exchange words and Penny assures Desmond she is going to find him. Desmond is filled with more hope than ever before and no longer goes back and forth in time chaotically, but is now alert, focused, and full of assuring peace.

As children of God, we also have a constant. Our constant is the supreme Constant - Jesus Christ. Christ is the only one who is a guaranteed constant in an ever changing and chaotic world.

He is our promised aid in time of need, our ever present helper in moments of despair (Psa. 46:1).

We find this promise in Hebrews 13:8:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, this very day, and even forever

For we who believe in the One True God - the Lord Jesus Christ - He is to be our one true love. He is our one and most true constant, who defines our life.


He is our defining reference point in Whom we find our identity, our past, our present, and our future. He is who fills us with hope in times of despair as Penny did for Desmond. He is who brings us back to focus when we are seemingly falling in and out of life as Desmond was. Jesus Christ and His promises, amidst an ever changing world is the One who does and always will remain constant. Christ alone is the One whose history of faithfulness always fills our memories when we recall a hard time in life and know He was there for us then, carrying us through.

Jesus Christ, He and He only, is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

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