Disney's Meet the Robinsons

A couple of months ago, my family and I discovered the Disney animated movie "Meet the Robinsons", a wild ride that combines "Back to the Future"-style time travel and timeline changes with the antics of a wacky family of inventors and original thinkers. We loved it! The children loved it so much that we checked it out of the library again this past week.

I don't want to take any space up with a recap of the movie. If you haven't seen the movie, then you need to read a review of it before my post will make any sense. Ms. Sheri McMurray has provided a great synopsis of it at Christian Spotlight on Entertainment (from ChristianAnswers.net).

As we watched it again, I discovered that the end of the movie offers a remarkable illustration of the Christian life that deserves more attention than it has received in the Internet postings I have read. (Before taking the time to write this post, I scanned the Internet (using Google), looking for reviews of "Meet the Robinsons" with Christian themes. (My search terms are in bold.))

Near the end of the film, Lewis has returned (from the future) to the science fair (in the present) with his "memory scanner". The entire movie centered on how Lewis' successful science fair entry becomes the invention that launches a life that eventually sees Lewis as the chief inventor of a major company whose products have revolutionized and improved life for everyone! (In fact, the villains in the movie (themselves from the future) have dedicated their efforts to ruining Lewis' science fair demonstration, stealing the device, and passing it off as their own.)

But Lewis came back from the future with more than just the knowledge that he needed to successfully demonstrate his invention in order to unlock a highly successful future. He also knows that in the future he saw, he has foster parents (Lewis is an orphan), he is married to a wonderful wife with a terrific family whose quirkiness mirrors his own eccentricities, and the world is a pretty remarkable place besides! However, because Lewis did not live the life between the science fair and that future yet, he has no idea how it will all unfold. He just knows what the future will look like at one point in time.

While demonstrating his device at the science fair after returning from the future, he discovers that one of the judges and her husband are his foster-parents of the future and a crazy little girl who trains frogs to sing is his future wife. A reporter shows up and announces that Lewis has a bright future ahead of him. Lewis, seemingly struck by the blessings showering down around him, smiles a terrific smile, nods and says, "Yeah." There is much yet to come for young Lewis, but he is already seeing his perfect future unfold! It isn't all there yet, but because he knows what is coming, he recognizes it unfolding around him.

The movie closes with a series of scenes of his unfolding life that include his new foster parents driving him away from the orphanage and their eventual purchase of the building that contains the huge room that will eventually be his lab. The last scene shows him working enthusiastically in his lab as the notes, diagrams, models and inventions begin to accumulate on tables and drawing boards around him. We know that from this point on, Lewis lives his life very confidently. He adopts the motto "Keep Moving Forward", which is reflected in his refusal to give up when his invention ideas meet with initial failure.

Life in Christ is a lot like this. Through the Word of God, we know what the future holds; it is no longer in doubt. Moreover, because the Father has given us faith in Jesus' atoning death and resurrection, we know that this future is for us!

Christ has defeated death and the devil by His perfect life, sacrificial death and bodily resurrection. He has revealed that he will return in glory for the final judgment of the earth, at which time he will usher in the new heaven and new earth, which will no longer be separated! God himself will live with us; he will be our God, and we will be his people. Immanuel! God with us!

And this future is free from sin; we will live in perfect trust; we will not worry about what we will eat, drink and wear (Matthew 6:25-34); we will look to the needs of our neighbor continually. There will be no death, or mourning, or crying, or pain!

Even now, we see the future unfolding around us! Christ has ascended bodily into heaven, but remains present to strengthen us in the sacrament of the altar. Because God's Law (which judges us sinners) describes the perfection of God's creation, we catch glimpses of what perfection will look like all the time. When sinners (that's us) show compassion towards one another (whatever our reasons) or sacrifice our own good for the benefit of others, we see the world as it was to be and will eventually be again. True, this view is dim right now; but the view is there to behold! (1 Corinthians 13:1-20

We know what to look for because we know what is coming. God has revealed this future to us in and through the Living Word, Jesus Christ. We do not know exactly how it will unfold, but we walk with the endurance, character and hope that comes by grace through faith. (Romans 5:1-5)

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1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for(O) these words are trustworthy and true."

-- Revelation 21:1-5