Movie Moment - Winners AnnouncedScot Bower - 28 Jan 2011

Last week we ran a competition in conjunction with Damaris asking for your favourite 'kingdom of God' moment in a film. We had loads of replies and several of us in the international team sat down on Wednesday morning to work out our favourites.

I should say that the 'international team' in the office on Weds consisted of Carla Harding, who whilst being thoroughly kind, considerate and self-effacing most of the time is incredibly opinionated when it comes to films. The criticism she had for The Book of Eli doesn't bear repeating, and as for her rant on the awfulness of Jerry Maguire, Wow, I just hope she never runs into Tom Cruise! Also on the panel were Alana Wiens who before leaving the States to come and work for 24-7 Prayer used to write film reviews for Relevant Magazine... and me... I could say I fought hard to make my opinion heard but in truth I just changed a couple of the winners after my colleagues left! ;)

Here then are the winners:

• So many great moments already mentioned on here. For me, one that sticks out is watching ‘The Village’. The heroine is a blind girl called Ivy and whenever she is in danger or confused, she sticks out her hand and the man who loves her comes and takes it and leads her to safety. In one scene she has to wait, without being able to see and she obviously is scared but holds out her hand trusting that he will come.
  God really spoke to me about how when I can’t see the way forward, he will always take hold of me. Then later the same week I read Philippians 3:12 ‘I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me’. Brilliant truth to live by. - Ruth.
  
  
• One of my favourite films, and also one of my favourite books as a child, is ‘Little Women’. Kind of a funny one, but for me there’s a spiritual moment at the end when, standing under an umbrella in the rain, Jo March and Fredrich Bhaer are finally able to express their love for one another. A poor, simple man, he opens his hands, shrugs and says, “I have nothing to give; my hands are empty,” to which Jo replies by taking them and saying, “Not empty now.”
  It reminds me that we come to God with nothing except our love for Him, and that He gives us the greatest gift – His love, simply and fully. - Rachel.
  
  
• Jerry Maguire bursts into the room full of women and confesses his love for Dorothy, hoping it’s not too late. Dorothy looks at him and says, “...just shut up. You had me at “hello”.”
  I was travelling on a train back home and feeling a bit low and distant from God, so I asked him to speak to me about his love. Instantly Dorothy’s quote came into my head, it was such a disarming and delightful response by God that I couldn’t help but smile all the journey home! - Beebs
  
  
• From How Green Was My Valley (1941) this description of strength in prayer has always been inspirational to me. Mr. Griffiths arrives to take Huw on his first walk after a winter of waiting and recovery. He commands him to walk when Huw thinks he cannot. After Huw takes his first few steps he tells him; “You’ve been lucky to suffer and lucky to spend these weary months in bed. For so God has given you a chance to make spirit within yourself. And as your father cleans his lamp to have good light, so keep clean your spirit.” “How sir?” Huw asks. Mr. Griffiths leans against a tree and says “By prayer Huw.” “And by prayer I don’t mean shouting and mumbling and wallowing like a hog in religious sentiment. Prayer is only another name for good clean direct thinking. When you pray, think well what you are saying. Make your thought on things that are solid, that way your prayer will have strength. And, that strength will become part of you body, mind and spirit”. - Nancy
  
  
• My favourite spiritual movie is Les Miserables with Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush. It shows the dramatic contast between law and grace. Liam plays Jean Valjean a criminal who was released and determined to return to a life of crime. He went to rob the house of a Bishop who shows him incredible grace and instead of turning him in, gives him some more silver. This transforms Valjeans life and he becomes the mayor of another city and starts his new life. Rush plays Javert a policeman totally obsessed with the law and justice who cannot understand grace and mercy. He goes after Valjean wanting to displace him as mayor due to his past “sins”. He cannot let go of the past and the ending is a dramatic picture that there are only two things we can do with grace- embrace it totally or the law will destroy us. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to get a powerful picture of Gods love and forgiveness. - Justin
  
  
• (Lord of the Rings - Return of The King) I remember when in Moria Frodo turns to Gandalf and says, “I wish the ring had never come to me.” There are a thousand things that echo behind that “ring,” and most poignantly the greatest struggles of sin in my life. I immediately feel what Frodo communicates. I pity with him. But then Gandalf says, “So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought.” It reminds me at once of two profound realities. We never suffer alone. Together as a human race we have borne the weight of the ring. There is no room for personal pity. Secondly, there is the hope of redemption. There is good at work in this world and there is redemption. In our reality Christ has borne the ring for us, we never bear it alone. And there is a purpose in this- the salvation of our souls. - Spencer

Thank you all for your suggestions please feel free to keep them coming  in the comments on the original blog post) though I'm afraid there are no more prizes to be won!

Also don't forget to check out the resources on offer from Damaris which should provoke discussion and help us seek out those kingdom moments.