What I like about the movie is its many parallels to the Christian faith. It is not someplace we should be drawing upon for theology lessons but the streams of analogies and similarities is constant - as constant as the flow of those little green symbols on the computer monitors they watch.
The main character, Neo, for example, can easily be seen as a Christ figure. The leading lady’s name is "Trinity." There is a prophet in the film named Morpheus – a character whose names cries out “change.”
One theme that runs throughout the film is that of predestination. Neo, for example, was predestined to save the world. Morpheus seemed to always be referring to Neo as “The One” even when Neo himself didn’t believe it. Morpheus was “destined” to find “The One.” And Trinity was destined to fall in love with “The One.” Everyone, it seems, was predestined to do "something" in that movie.
Hmm. Predestination. What about you? Do you supposed that YOU have been predestined to do something? Ever thought about that? Do you think you have been created with a specific goal or quest in mind by God Himself?
"11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:11-13
"13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." - Psalm 139:13-16
God had plans for us and He had them before we were even born!
Think about that for a moment. Talk about predestination! Our lives have already been planned? Well, sort of. God had a plan for us to be sure, but He gave us a choice. We could either follow that plan, or not. It’s called “free will.” That’s usually where most of the things in this world get screwed up - when we start making decisions based on our own needs rather than considering and deciding things based on the will of GOD . . . or what we PERCEIVE to be God's will.
According to scripture, each of us is predestined to do something in God's plan. That much is true. But when we "try to find our purpose in life" that's exactly when we begin to wander.
Take a look through a "Christian" book store sometime (perhaps that's bad advice). There are many authors offering to help you find your purpose. Rick Warren would love to help you! Joel Osteen too! Save your money. They're leading you astray. Go back home an read your Bible. Everything God wants us to know has already been told to us. We just need to be obedient.
And that, my brothers and sisters, is our predestined purpose - to be obedient to God. Period.
Did you ever wonder what Gods plan for Himself is in all this? It's in the Bible, from beginning to end . . .
Where was God as Adam and Eve . . . in the beginning?
"8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day . . . " - Genesis 3:8
And where will God be with those who believe . . . in the end?
"3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God." - Revelation 21:3
God's desire, at least from what I read, has always been to dwell among His people. But we ruined all that. God knew we would. That's why he planned ahead of time for Jesus to be born of a virgin, and He was. God planned that Jesus would live a sinless life, and He did. And He also planned that Jesus would die on a cross, a spotless lamb, sacrificed for our sins, . . . and He did. God has always had a plan. And God's plan is all coming true. The only "option" is, do we want to join Him? I'll tell you what. This guy's in! But God knew that I would be, even though I ignored Him for years.
Now THAT's predestination!
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