KNOCKED UP (WITH LOVE)

Here's something I wrote back in 2007, unedited:

I saw the film 'Knocked Up' twice this week, and I think it's a very good movie.  I mean, it's quite vulgar, and I hope that teenagers don't get the idea that having unprotected intercourse will end up fine and dandy, but it's a solid film.  It's a great blend of comedy (consistent like dough in bread, not like blueberries in a blueberry muffin...wait, did I make sense?) with a substantial storyline that is steered almost flawlessly by the actors.  I really liked this movie.

(By the way, the most underrated scene involves Ryan Seacrest.  There's no way he was acting that.)

There were loads of great scenes, but the hotel room scene with the five chairs was definitely one of the standouts.  It wasn't just hilarious, but I really think that in their drugged out state, Ben and Pete actually experienced a significant moment of clarity and understanding.  As ironic as that is, I really think that's what made this scene so special.

I want to discuss Pete's epiphany.  While he was freaking out about the chairs in the hotel room, Pete realizes (out loud) that the reason why his marriage is in trouble is the fact that his wife loves him.

"The biggest problem in our marriage is that she wants me around.  And I can't even accept that?  I don't think I can accept pure love," he says.

I really liked this part of the script.  Not only did it strangely make complete sense for Pete's situation (and I'm sure many relationships/marriages), but it makes sense for those of us who aren't even in relationships or married.

It seems to me that the main, foundational, driving reason why Christians struggle in their faith is the fact that they cannot accept "pure love" and what it entails.

What I think I mean is that because God's love is perfect, it demands us.  It does not demand anything of us, but it demands us.  God wants us around.

But this is the problem for us, isn't it?  Because we are sinful we do not want God around so much.  Yes, we desire his hand in our lives when we are in need, and of course there are many times when we genuinely desire him.  However, we always seem to draw lines around the areas of our lives that he can totally possess.

Our Lord always wants to speak with us (with, not just to), he is always waiting for us to share our thoughts and troubles and joys with him, he is always desiring to have us fully...not only because we are rightfully his, but because in his perfect love he desires our very best.

Oswald Chambers said, "The great enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but the good which is not good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best."

Because we desire God's good we think that is enough.  We turn our backs to him whenever he tries to offer us his best...namely, himself.  We have no problem accepting his gifts, but we do have a problem accepting him.

Do you need proof of his love?  Do you need a visual example of how much he loves us?  Look no further than the cross, where Christ died for us so that we might experience the perfect love of our Father.  Still, for whatever reasons, we turn our backs on what that perfect love offers us.

For me, the most practical thing this boils down to is my time.  Yes, I have work and various other obligations.  But do I spurn my Father with the time I have left?  I know he wants to spend time with me because he has great things to say and show to me, but for some reason that's a problem for me.  To be honest, there are many days where I won't spend more than 10-20 minutes reading the Bible or praying.  And still I feel somewhat smothered by God's love and desire to spend time with me.  It becomes an inconvenience to me.

I am like Pete.  The biggest problem in my relationship with God is that he wants me around.

This old man in me, this sinful vestige is harnessing me to this wretched state.  I don't say that to clear me of blame, but that is an undeniable fact.  The old, sinful man in me cannot accept God's pure love...yet.  I am looking forward to the day when that will change.

For now, I put my hope in (wouldn't you know it?) that perfect love of our Lord, because I know in it there is forgiveness, mercy, and a sure promise of progress and eventual perfection in the years to come.

  Why do you mean so much to me?  Help me to find words to explain.  Why do I mean so much to you, that you should command me to love you?  And if I fail to love you, you are angry and threaten me with great sorrow, as if not to love you were not sorrow enough in itself.  Have pity on me and help me, O Lord my God.  Tell me why you mean so much to me.  - Saint Augustine