Happy Star Wars Day! Very few movies had the impact of Star Wars. I still remember seeing Star Wars for the first time, it was amazing, like nothing before it. Many movies, books, and stories, some of the best, are about Good vs. Evil, such is the Star Wars Saga. Darth Vader all in black, with the ominous breathing is the ultimate BBEG. But as can happen in life, you sometimes find out that the bad guy has some redeeming qualities and a really good excuse for becoming the bad guy and you start to feel some sympathy for him and for the ordinary people living under the Empire's rule.

Our hero, Luke Skywalker has to battle the forces of good and evil both within himself (just like the rest of us,) and externally in the war with the Empire. Only with his power, "the Force" the outcome of the battle within is more serious, he could turn out to be another Darth Vader or a major "force" for Good in the Universe. Thankfully he has a couple of guides, pointing him in the right direction and helping him get a handle on it.....Obi-Wan Kenobi and master Yoda.

As Christians we also have an internal battle going on inside each one of us, pulling us between the dark side and the light…..We also have a "Force", the greatest power in the Universe - the Holy Spirit, so powerful it can raise people from the dead, and we have some guides, pointing us in the right direction and helping us get a handle on things, we have the Bible, and Jesus. We need them, I look at our world today and I see an evil empire with a dark ideology and the forces of light trying to combat them. Our generation is not the first to have to deal with this phenomena, but today which is the dark side and which the light has become confusing for many. Without doing proper due diligence, too many follow the mob or their friends or take the side they were raised or taught to believe in, without ever questioning those belief's.

Today's Easter reading at Compline/Supper shows how a different ideology and culture can cause very different conclusions. After Paul and Barnabas pray for someone bringing about a miraculous healing there are 2 reactions. One group listened and understood, wanting to know more about the gospel. The other group concluded they were the Greek/roman gods Jupiter (Zeus) and Mercury (Hermes) and tried to worship them and sacrifice to them. Part of this confusion was obviously caused by the language barrier. But it was also caused by the difference in cultural and religious belief's.

While today technology can often overcome the language barrier, too many fail to understand the ramifications of the difference in ideology and cultural belief's between the east and west. The west values human life, freedom, democracy and human rights. The East does not, death is seen as the ultimate reward, they do not value freedom but are taught that to question things is a sin. They are living in darkness ruled by an type of Evil Empire. We are the children of the Light, but even some of us have been blinded and confused by the false reports and narrative of the Dark, while many like Job, blame God for what is happening. Remember the promises of Jesus, He is with you, and His grace is sufficient. Pray for peoples eyes to be opened to the truth and may our Force, the Spirit of Truth be with You!