I need to watch this every morning, every hour, every...

I shamelessly draw redemptive analgogies from popular sources. I know they are not meant to say waht I believe they do, but all truth is God's truth for me, and whatever encourages me to worship God as He has made Himself known is a good thing.

The main impetus to the conflict in the story comes from Nemo feeling smothered by his well-meaning dad, Marlon. When Nemo is captured because he swims too close to the humans, Marlon sets out to do the seemingly impossible by finding and saving his son who is now the newest feature of the marauding, sadistic Aussie dentist's aquarium. Along the way toward "finding Nemo," Marlon learns an important lesson about giving his son room to grow, which will help him be a better father and a happier fish, according to the movie. Nemo also learns something important cooped up in his artificial aquatic prison, but, contrary to his father, its not about himself and how he should change, but instead about the length, breadth, height of his father's love

(Forgive me as I do not have the technical skill to cut this bigger scene from Finding Nemo to only the small snippet within it that is my favorite part in this exceptional movie. Feel free to watch the whole scene but the part I think is most important begins at 6:00 and ends at 8:00)




"That can't be my dad," Nemo bemoans.

I know Jesus loves me, and I believe God the Father loves me, but how easily my mind, being slowly pulled away from the cross, the central image of God's love to his people, I find myself doubting, and bemoaning like the crippled little clownfish, "He doesn't love me. He is not going to come get me. That can't be my Dad."

But oh when, even through common grace like the scene from Nemo, he shows me how much I mean to Him.

Nemo: That can't be my dad.
Pelican: Oh now what was his name...some kind of sport fish or something...Tuna?
N: marlon?
P: Yeah, that's the one.
N: Did you hear that guys? My dad fought a shark.
P: I heard it was THREE sharks.

As Nemo is overwhelmed by his dad's affection for him, he knows what to do. Anything. Anything to be with his dad again.

Like Nemo, when that love sears my heart, "I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me." Father, would you today bring the good news to me in the same way you brought it to Nemo that I may be lit afire, and, like the little fish with the bad fin, do what previously might have been impossible: to find Him again.

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:18-19