My family will tell you I am a sucker for time travel stories; books, TV, or film. I think my first love was the 60’s TV show, The Time Tunnel, a campy take on time travel. Many of the science fiction TV shows from that era were a little campy, immature by today’s standards. Yet I fell captivated to the unique twists each story presented, arguing why certain events might offer unresolved loops of logic. Even the most admirable goal of traveling back in time to stop an epidemic, or ruthless dictator isn’t without the ever present risk of unintended consequences. I am captivated by the variations of trouble one can find themselves in when time traveling.
For someone that loves science fiction and new technology our family has only recently become an adopter of the DVR, allowing us to store tv shows and movies we don’t have time to watch mostly so we can delete them unwatched as our storage space fills. My wife loves Christmas and has been known to extend celebration of the holiday well into the next year. Our recent adoption of the DVR has allowed us to watch Christmas movies well after New Years Day. Mind you there are numerous cable stations that also are still airing Christmas Classics and not so classics offering the few non football fans and Christmas fanatics like my wife something to watch on cold wintery evenings.
Today my wife informed me she had recorded a Christmas time travel movie that I would likely appreciate, “Journey Back to Christmas”; something that should peak my curiosity and give her nearly 2 more hours of Christmas. I laughed, then realized that Its a Wonderful Life, and A Christmas Carol, while not really time travel, have elements and common themes with my favorite time travel fiction. Offering understanding of the past and glimpses of the future. To date this recent movie remains un-played, taking up space, awaiting deletion.
In every time travel story I have been exposed to, the dialog has similarities. Some character traveling back in time speaks of a future event as if it had already happened. Their knowledge is exposed and maybe laughed at because of the tense used. From Merlin to Marty Mcfly each could tell of future events. Understanding the future as if it has already happened, I could see that as a blessing. Enriching life not because I could safely bet on a World Series Game or become a Wall Street tycoon, but for the surety and security knowing brings. Knowing the future, and knowing for sure, would have to bring a feeling we all desire. Knowing how a career choice, your recent marriage, or illness ends I think would offer peace. Gone would be anxiety and mental anguish. Allowing you to focus on the things that matter. Peace.
We are starting a new bible study in our Sunday School class and I read ahead. I peeked into the future. Our study next week includes Psalm chapter 111 that addresses some of God’s attributes and accomplishments, his deeds. I got stuck on one verse that reads “He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever” Psalm 111:9. I asked myself, “when?” Throughout this chapter phrases referring to present, future, and past are used. This verse specifically uses the past tense, “He provided redemption…” Had the phrase not included the word redemption I might have passed over this profound statement. He provided water in the wilderness, he provided land for the Israelites, he rescued them from Egypt. Those we accept as events happening before Psalms chapter 111. But redemption, when did that take place?
Psalms 130:9 says “He, himself will redeem Israel….” in Psalm 49;15 “God will redeem me from the realm of the dead.” Jesus is quoted as saying “when these things begin to take place standup and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28. Ephesians 1:14 says “….until the redemption of those who are God’s possession.” In so many of our scriptures redemption is a future event, something coming.
What a blessing to know redemption is coming, what peace to know the future.
“We’re all traveling through time together, every day of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride.” Tim from the movie “About Time”
David
