Valkyrie

"Broken for Glory"

Romans 12:1, 6:12-13

by Danny B. Smith, Purple Ark Ministries

© Copyright Reserved  December 27th 2008

The apostle Paul wrote, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (Romans 12:1). (Rom 6:12-13) ... do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. (13) Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

In the recent 2008 movie release, “Valkyrie”, I discovered an underline devotional message when I observed the willingness of one soldier to sacrifice his life to save Germany from Adolf Hitler. The main character of the movie, Tom Cruise, an officer in the German army came close to being killed, after trying to save a fellow soldier. He returns to his family with one eye missing and the use of his right hand. You could say he had returned from a desert storm, a place that brought him to the end of himself, a place that changed his understanding of the war under Hitler's rule. In this devotional message, let us look beyond the mystical meanings behind “ Valkyrie ”. Let us consider the valor of a warrior that would commit an act of treason for the good of his country. What moved this soldier to test the scales of good and evil? Why would he want to pay such a price?

As Christians, we must begin to sacrifice in order to correct the wrong in our society? It is easy to be safe and avoid confrontation with a world that is running out of time. Let us look below the foundation of our private gates and consider the battleground of souls at risk. It is not always a prisoner of homelessness, but occasionally it is the lost gatekeeper that needs to be set free. In the movie “Valkyrie ”, an injured soldier has come back from war.  Although his body has changed, he is complete with a drive to do what is righteous and good. Just as Saint Peter was told to go and drop his net into deeper water, soldiers of God are being called to exercise authority over fear and flesh. The core of our faith believes that God is ever present as we walk through the valley and shadow of death. The upcoming new year presents us with an opportunity to be less of ourselves and more of Christ. A time is coming that we will be confronted by the evils that live in darkness.

The morality of our beliefs will be tested by the faces of our past. Confrontation today is necessary to complete the work that God has given each one of us to do. In the end of the final scene, the soldier claims victory on his day with death. In the end, evil lost the battle and God received the glory for an unselfish soul. When Christ left the desert after forty days and forty nights, he was refined and ready to finish what God had sent him in the world to do. When we come out of our own desert places and leave the things of the world behind, we can shout victory in the face of evil. If we consider Christ as our example then we are ready for redemption. No one knew in the end the plan had succeeded.  Many of the soldiers that committed themselves to overthrow Hilter, were executed under false pretense, believing that Hitler had survived the attempt to assassinate him. When the curtain closed, it was confirmed that in fact, Hitler was dead.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, prepare me for your glory, bring us to a place of unselfish consideration.  Send us into Holy War!  Send forth your regiments of valor.  Refine us with gold and silver.  We are ready dear God, We are ready!  Break us that we may become whole.  Prepare us for the storm that is rising from the pit of hell.  Send us dear God into the streets with your armor and shield.   Open our hearts that we might feel compassion for the lost.  Let your reformation begin.  Amen.