“For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
During the filming of the final scene from "Field of Dreams," everyone involved knew something special was happening. Though the scene required a small subset of the cast and crew to film, everyone who knew about the scene crowded the edges of the Iowa cornfield to observe the magic. Ray Kinsella, played by Kevin Costner, got the amazing opportunity to reunite with his dead father for a game of catch.
James Earl Jones, who was in the scene as the author Terrance Mann, was joined by his young son. His son couldn’t understand the significance of the moment.
SON: What’s the big deal, it’s just two guys playing catch.
JAMES: No. Watch closely. The father gives to the son. The son receives and gives back to the father.
A boy reuniting with his father around the game that he used as a point of rebellion from his father, is a beautiful thing. But it points to something far grander. For we were all, like Ray Kinsella, separated from our heavenly Father. The temporal here actually echoes the eternal. The real power of that scene is that it points to the great reconciliation, Father to sons, that our Savior came to restore. It is the right and heritage of all who believe.
I was at a weekly meeting with our leadership team on Friday. Borrowing from a talk I heard in a recording from the Ransomed Heart team, I asked them a couple of questions:
- What is the most special place on earth for you and why?
- What is the thing you most yearn to see restored?
All their answers to both questions centered around relationships. All the places referenced were special due to the people that they had enjoyed them with. All the desire for restoration revolved around hurting people and broken relationships.
My answers surprised me and it is evocative of that last scene in “Field of Dreams,” all the men’s ministry I have been a part of, and even my very life. My most desperate heart cry is that men would take their place as co-heirs of the Kingdom.
“That a spirit of sonship would be rekindled in the hearts of men.
That conversational intimacy with the Father would become normative.
That out of that incredible act of restoration offered, we would spend all our days with the Father, both receiving and returning.”
- What is the most special place on earth to you? Why?
- What is the thing you most yearn to see restored?
- Are you walking in conversational intimacy with the Father?