Scotland and Abraham
INsights 079, Friday 30th May 2025
Scotland and Abraham
INsights 079, Friday 30th May 2025
I'm on the way to Scotland to meet some friends and record podcast episodes with two awesome guests.
Being a movie fan, as I shared with you last time, I couldn't help but think about a couple of the finest movies featuring Scottish heroes which were formative for me growing up.
My dad loved and introduced me to Chariots of Fire which tells the story of Olympic gold medalist and Christian missionary Eric Liddell. One of its key themes is highlighting the differences and tensions between God-centred and ego-driven pursuits. I must have watched it at least ten times as a kid. Compulsory viewing!
Favourite line: “I believe God made me for a purpose. He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.”
Then of course there's Braveheart which tells the story of William Wallace, who fought for Scottish independence, in the most powerful and memorable way. Where do I even start with this one? If you know, you know!
Favourite line: "Every man dies, not every man really lives."
In addition to this, we now find ourselves in the days of pilgrimage, the days of remembering the biggest hero of them all, Abraham: the patriarch of civilisational monotheism, the model of devotion to the divine, the paragon of virtue and sacrifice. Peace be upon him, all the way into eternity.
With all these different strands and stories swirling around my mind whilst attempting to traverse my own hero's journey, I can understand why I'm feeling pretty pumped and emotionally charged nowadays.
Your single-minded devotion and sacrifice for the clearest, highest and most noble goal for God that you can identify... this is what will make for your most exciting, purifying, elevating life of adventure.
It doesn't matter if anyone else thinks your efforts are pointless or pathetic.
If doesn't matter if you have to face pain and suffering along the way.
It doesn't matter if you seem to fail in material terms or in an outward sense.
What matters is that you dug deep, you set your sights on a target - with God, others and yourself simultaneously in mind - and you went for it with everything you've got.
The work is never over.
The point is to die on a dynamic trajectory towards your Lord.
But how can you guarantee dying on such a path if you're not living on that path every day?
The reason people from all backgrounds love watching movies about mission-driven individuals, and the reason God Himself tells us the stories about the greatest ones amongst them, is because those are the individuals whom, deep down, we all want to emulate, we all want to become, we all need to become.
So why let your unfulfilled potential become a source of regret?
Why wait before smashing the idols that are blocking your way?
Go and draw inspiration from the lives of all kinds of heroes... not least the prophets of God.
But then, for His sake, start living the life of the hero you were meant to become!
Because that is the whole point of the auspicious days in which we now find ourselves.
Until next time.
Peace.
Iqbal
~~~
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