Tag Archives: Star Wars: Rogue One

Devotional

THE FORCE WITHIN, part 13: Identity and Belonging

Leave a comment

Read Ephesians 2:10-13

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” – John 1:12 (NLT)

From the eternal struggle between light and darkness to the quest for redemption and the power of hope, Star Wars offers profound insights into the human condition and the mysteries of the divine. Through the Force, the saga explores the interconnectedness of all life and the call to embrace our inner potential for goodness and compassion. As we journey through the galaxy, we will be uncovering the transformative truths that resonate deeply with our own faith journeys.

Part 13: Identity and Belonging. In the vast Star Wars galaxy, amidst the battles between the light and dark sides of the Force, lies a story of a young woman named Jyn Erso. Her journey in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” reflects the universal struggle of navigating identity and belonging. Jyn’s path mirrors our own quest to find our place in the world and discover who we are meant to be.

Jyn’s early life was marred by chaos and uncertainty. Separated from her family at a tender age, she learned the harsh reality of survival in a galaxy torn apart by conflict. Her days were spent on the fringes of society, scraping by through whatever means necessary. In the relentless pursuit of survival, Jyn’s understanding of herself became obscured, buried beneath layers of self-preservation.

Yet, amidst the shadows of her past, glimmers of hope emerged. In the form of companions like Cassian Andor, a dedicated rebel intelligence officer, and Chirrut Îmwe, a blind warrior monk attuned to the Force, Jyn found unexpected allies who saw beyond her facade of toughness. They recognized her potential for greatness, even when she couldn’t see it herself.

Cassian, with his unwavering determination and sense of duty, challenged Jyn to confront her inner turmoil and embrace her role in the fight against the Empire. His steadfast belief in her abilities served as a beacon of light in the darkness, guiding her toward a deeper understanding of her purpose.

Similarly, Chirrut’s wisdom and spiritual insight provided Jyn with a different perspective on life and the Force. Through his teachings, she began to recognize the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of embracing her true self, flaws and all.

As Jyn journeyed alongside her comrades in the Rebel Alliance, she gradually shed the layers of fear and doubt that had shrouded her identity. With each victory and setback, she grew stronger in her convictions and more resolute in her determination to make a difference.

In the climactic moments of “Rogue One,” Jyn’s transformation reaches its apex as she leads a daring mission to steal the Death Star plans. In that moment of selfless sacrifice, she discovers the true meaning of belonging—not just to a cause or a group, but to something greater than herself.

Through Jyn’s story, we’re reminded that our past does not define us, and our circumstances do not determine our worth. Like Jyn, we may face moments of doubt and uncertainty, but with faith and perseverance, we can uncover the truth of who we are meant to be.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
As you journey through life, remember that your identity is not shaped by your past or your present circumstances. You are a beloved child of God, called to a purpose greater than yourself. Embrace your true identity and find belonging in the love of God.

PRAYER
Lord God, thank You for the gift of identity and belonging found in You. Help us to see ourselves through Your eyes and to walk confidently in the truth of who You’ve created us to be. Guide us as we navigate life’s challenges, knowing that our ultimate belonging is found in You alone. Amen.

Devotion written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI.

Devotional, Previous Post

REVISITED: The Inner Skeptic

Leave a comment

Read Psalm 14

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.” (Jude 1:22)

Everyone knows that I am a HUGE fan of Star Wars. Recently, the latest film in the Star Wars Universe was released, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”. The film follows a series of mostly new characters who are on a mission to get the blueprint plans of “The Death Star” from the evil Galactic Empire. If they succeed, it is possible that they can find a weakness that will help them destroy a weapon so powerful that it can eliminate entire planets in a matter of seconds.

Without spoiling the story for you (as I run a strict, no spoiler, ship), the characters of Jyn and Cassian are the unlikely leaders of a slim-to-none chance to infiltrate the enemy base and steal the plans of the dreaded battle station, “The Death Star.” All throughout the film, the characters are constantly being tested in their abilities, in their trust of one another, and in their faith.

In fact, wrestling with faith is a MAJOR theme in this film. Each of the characters, in their own way, find themselves wrestling with their faith in the existence of the force. One of the characters, Chirrut Îmwe, is a member of the Guardian of the Whills, which is a religious order that at one time were protectors of the Temple. Following the Temple being raided by the Galactic Empire, the Guardians remained true to their beliefs and sat out in the streets preaching about the Force.

What’s important to note is that thought the age of the Jedi and their use of the force, are not far removed from the time period that this takes place, many question the existence of such a “Force”. The Jedi themselves are quickly fading into mythological obscurity. How quickly hope fades, how quickly people fall from faith into the hopless state of despair. This is, honestly, the human condition.

When Jyn runs into Chirrut, he asked her if she knew what she was wearing around her neck. The crystals she was wearing were what the Empire had come to the Temple to raid, they were what powered the lightsabers. Chirrut sees it as a sign that the Force was alive and well. In fact, throughout the film, this monk kept reciting a powerful mantra, “I am one with the Force,  the Force is with me.”

Throughout the film, there are many skeptics who question this monk’s devotion to what they see as nothing more than a fairytale. Yet, his unwavering faith to the Force witnesses to these people and causes them to see beyond the inner skeptic within them. One by one, each of them is confronted with the choice between placing their faith in the Force or in continuing to deny the Force that is within them and all around them.

What I want to make clear is this, today’s Scripture is NOT calling the one who wrestles with his/her faith a fool. Everyone should be wrestling with their faith in God. It is was makes that faith real and it is how one grows in faith; however, the Scripture is stating that the one who concludes, absolutely and definitively that THERE IS NO GOD is foolish. Such an absolute proclamation leads nowhere but placing oneself in the place of God.

To make that proclamation is to shut oneself off from the discovery of the divine. There is not a single human being that can definitively know Ultimate Reality and, therefore, it is ultimately foolish for them to shut themselves off to the possibility of God based off of whatever limited “evidence” they may think they have. Not one of us can possibly have ALL of the evidence to make any conclusive and definitive proclamation.

We all operate on faith. We operate on the faith that there is a God or we operate on the faith that there is no God. Skepticism is good and healthy; however, it only gets us so far. The question for us is this, can we silence the  inner skeptic? Can we get to the place where we move beyond skepticism and acknowledge the faith that we are already operating on? If so, we can continue to wrestle with our faith and grow in it. I pray that, if you are struggling with your faith, this devotion may be your inner Chirrut Îmwe, reminding you that you are one with the Force (aka God) and that the Force/God is with you. I pray that you choose to move beyond faith in “no God” to faith in the God who is wanting to work miracles in you and through you.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

PRAYER
Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief. Amen.

Devotional

The Inner Skeptic

Leave a comment

Read Psalm 14

ALSO IN SCRIPTURE
“And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.” (Jude 1:22)

Everyone knows that I am a HUGE fan of Star Wars. Recently, the latest film in the Star Wars Universe was released, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”. The film follows a series of mostly new characters who are on a mission to get the blueprint plans of “The Death Star” from the evil Galactic Empire. If they succeed, it is possible that they can find a weakness that will help them destroy a weapon so powerful that it can eliminate entire planets in a matter of seconds.

Without spoiling the story for you (as I run a strict, no spoiler, ship), the characters of Jyn and Cassian are the unlikely leaders of a slim-to-none chance to infiltrate the enemy base and steal the plans of the dreaded battle station, “The Death Star.” All throughout the film, the characters are constantly being tested in their abilities, in their trust of one another, and in their faith.

In fact, wrestling with faith is a MAJOR theme in this film. Each of the characters, in their own way, find themselves wrestling with their faith in the existence of the force. One of the characters, Chirrut Îmwe, is a member of the Guardian of the Whills, which is a religious order that at one time were protectors of the Temple. Following the Temple being raided by the Galactic Empire, the Guardians remained true to their beliefs and sat out in the streets preaching about the Force.

What’s important to note is that thought the age of the Jedi and their use of the force, are not far removed from the time period that this takes place, many question the existence of such a “Force”. The Jedi themselves are quickly fading into mythological obscurity. How quickly hope fades, how quickly people fall from faith into the hopless state of despair. This is, honestly, the human condition.

When Jyn runs into Chirrut, he asked her if she knew what she was wearing around her neck. The crystals she was wearing were what the Empire had come to the Temple to raid, they were what powered the lightsabers. Chirrut sees it as a sign that the Force was alive and well. In fact, throughout the film, this monk kept reciting a powerful mantra, “I am one with the Force,  the Force is with me.”

Throughout the film, there are many skeptics who question this monk’s devotion to what they see as nothing more than a fairytale. Yet, his unwavering faith to the Force witnesses to these people and causes them to see beyond the inner skeptic within them. One by one, each of them is confronted with the choice between placing their faith in the Force or in continuing to deny the Force that is within them and all around them.

What I want to make clear is this, today’s Scripture is NOT calling the one who wrestles with his/her faith a fool. Everyone should be wrestling with their faith in God. It is was makes that faith real and it is how one grows in faith; however, the Scripture is stating that the one who concludes, absolutely and definitively that THERE IS NO GOD is foolish. Such an absolute proclamation leads nowhere but placing oneself in the place of God.

To make that proclamation is to shut oneself off from the discovery of the divine. There is not a single human being that can definitively know Ultimate Reality and, therefore, it is ultimately foolish for them to shut themselves off to the possibility of God based off of whatever limited “evidence” they may think they have. Not one of us can possibly have ALL of the evidence to make any conclusive and definitive proclamation.

We all operate on faith. We operate on the faith that there is a God or we operate on the faith that there is no God. Skepticism is good and healthy; however, it only gets us so far. The question for us is this, can we silence the  inner skeptic? Can we get to the place where we move beyond skepticism and acknowledge the faith that we are already operating on? If so, we can continue to wrestle with our faith and grow in it. I pray that, if you are struggling with your faith, this devotion may be your inner Chirrut Îmwe, reminding you that you are one with the Force (aka God) and that the Force/God is with you. I pray that you choose to move beyond faith in “no God” to faith in the God who is wanting to work miracles in you and through you.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

PRAYER
Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief. Amen.