Good morning, lovelies! I just finished applying my mascara, but I didn’t want to wait too long this morning before I hopped on here this morning to share something with you all. Truth be told, Beth and I filmed a video blog on Tuesday, but after much headache and technical difficulties, I didn’t get it downloaded until late last night so, we decided to save it for Monday because of our SSMT post tomorrow. In the meantime, however, we have a friend, Crista Merrell, that is dear to both of us and she also heads up the ministry to women at our church. Yesterday she wrote a powerful post on the Bayou City Blog for our church and I asked her permission to share it on here as well. So, would you ladies please welcome our dear friend with open hearts and minds today?
Thank you so much, Crista, for sharing this powerful Word!
In 1818, an anonymously written, dream-based manuscript called The Modern Prometheus about a maddish scientist and his highly unorthodox experiment surfaced in London. You and I know the tale better as Frankenstein, and given the current season, it’s not difficult to conjure an image of Boris Karloff in his 1930s role as Victor Frankenstein’s creature—square head and hulking shoulders, bolted neck and awkward stride. Did you know that Frankenstein isn’t the monster’s name? It’s the scientist’s. But the characters of creature and created are so intertwined that we don’t even bother to separate them. We just call them by the same name: Frankenstein.
Frankly (I couldn’t resist), we can relate to the tangle of Frankenstein and his creature. There’s a familiar scene that plays out in our lives. In Victor Frankenstein’s obsession to create is our drive to achieve something amazing and unheard of. We want to do, know, raise more. And it consumes us to the point of abandoning what we know as truth and the freedom that grace gives us to partner with God in creating meaningful existence in our own lives is exchanged for the illusion of power and control. Frankenstein creates his ugly monster and we build our own monster: sin, selfishness, idolatry.
The last half of the novel finds Frankenstein and his creation in a cycle of death and destruction that tempts the reader to walk away but compels further engagement because of the need for resolution. Both Frankenstein and his monster are driven by the goal of destruction of the other, and the story ends very badly with Frankenstein pursuing the monster to the icy north only to die from illness, the monster to weep for his creator and then to depart further into the icy north to die.
But tell me this: Are you able to fully grasp how far your monster is removable from you? How very separable you are?
I Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” Bad news for Frankenstein, when he laid himself down to die, he never got up again. Good news for you and me, when we lay ourselves down to die we bury our old selves—that sin and selfishness and idolatry, and we can learn to live without the monster of guilt and condemnation hanging around threatening our fullness of life. We get to send it off on a block of ice to be cast far away from us for, as Micah 7:19 says, “Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever because He delights in unchanging love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” We trade our sin monster for His great name!
So for all of us Frankensteins, life may be wild and appear loosely chaotic, but it isn’t a horror novel. It’s created by the perfect plan, purpose, and pleasure of a loving God who delights in us unchangingly. And can I hear a “Hallelujah!”…He is the slayer of all of our monsters.
When she was talking about the Frankenstein story, I thought that she was getting at how intertwined we should be with our creator. So, I got two lessons from this post!!
My mind went to the same place Karisa’s did at first. Thank you to Crista for that great illustration and application of Scripture. Needed to hear that today!
Excellent! What a wonderful and vivid illustration. We are our own worst enemy aren’t we??
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage, be strong.”
1Corinthians 16:13
HALLELUJAH indeed!!!
He is the slayer of the monster! Praise GOD!!!
Thank you for a timely Word!
This is so good!
I sure do love that Crista Merrell.
Cool! Never realized the monster wasn’t Frankenstein. Thank you for the insights.
Patti, Clemmons, NC
Hallelujah!!! AMEN!! Thanks for the reminder that my life is NOT a horror novel and that every chaotic and seemingly out of control thing in my life, God has ALL under control!! Thank You Jesus!! This pertains to my son and I could be that crazy scientist trying to control what is going to happen in his life but I need to let God do His work. I did my part, and now that he is an adult he has to stop the madness in his own life and seek God for help! I can only love him and try to shine the Light into the darkness of his life! Thank you again for this reminder!
Funny – during my morning devotion, I prayed the same for my daughter. Hard for a mother’s heart to “let go”, but it’s something we must do. Thankfully, we’re letting them go to release them in the hands of someone who loves them more than we ever could. Praying for your son, my daughter, and the both of us moms!
Thank You Cheri! Yes I remind myself daily that God loves him even more than I do! We will keep the Faith and Hope that our kids will turn back to God! And sooner than later!! I will pray for your daughter! AND YOU too!!! Isn’t it funny how we thought it was so hard when they were little?? 🙂
Deanne, Laguna Hills, CA
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
John 10:14 NIV
Thank you, Crista, for such a wonderful illustration. Such a timely word!
Cara from Houston
He has given us the privilege, since we have been rescued from our enemies’ clutches, to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness in His presence all our days.
Luke 1:74-75 HCSB
Hallelujah, indeed!! Thank you, Crista. This is great! What great statements I find these to be: “Are you able to fully grasp how far your monster is removable from you? How very separable you are?” Wow! We are indeed separable – Praise God!! May God have His way in us and we be delivered from ourselves and our sin monster!
Sissy-Georgia
NKJV Psalm 96:4 “For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.”
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9-11
(NIV)
for everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever!
Romans 11:36
Crista, your post reminds me of something else I read this morning that my Sunday School leader sent us to read. The blog post he sent us was on the subject of contentment in Christ no matter our circumstances…I’m glad you shared your post with us.
Thank you so very much for that timely and anointed
Word! That is a good one for sure!!
Misty, N. Charleston, SC
Mark 24:5 NIV And there was a woman there who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years.
I”m kidding – that is not my verse – that is hysterectomy humor – had one yesterday. This is my verse – sorry a day late!
Ps 103:1-5 NIV : 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s
“Make a joyful noise unto The Lord all ye people. Serve The Lord with gladness, come into his presence with singing.” Psalm 100:1-2 NKJ
Such a great word & illustration. It happens I first read it on the church blog, what a wonderful surprise when I jumped on to catch up with ya’all & found it again. I am working in Houston this week & had to stay over the weekend. I was on the church blog confirming service time & read the teaching, so timely. Then Pastor Randy’s message on Orphan Sunday. So good. So good.
I keep the Lord in mind always, because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Psalm 16:8
Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 (NIV), Shantha, Lincoln, RI
Stephanie Solomon,Morgantown, WV
Put on the whole armor go God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:11 (ESV).