Slay the Jabberwocky

“You’ve Lost Your Muchness…” 

          In the new rendition of Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), told Alice (Mia Wasikowska) that she had, “lost her muchness.” She was, “much muchier before.”  I love that phrase. I know this movie has been out for a while but I still think of these lines from time to time and can’t shake the teachable point to this poignant phrase.

“You’ve Lost Your Muchness…” 

          In the new rendition of Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), told Alice (Mia Wasikowska) that she had, “lost her muchness.” She was, “much muchier before.”  I love that phrase. I know this movie has been out for a while but I still think of these lines from time to time and can’t shake the teachable point to this poignant phrase.

          What the Hatter was really saying to Alice was that she had lost heart. His basis was her first trip to Wonderland when she was younger. As a child, she was apparently “much muchier.” Hatter witnessed a boldness that was not present now with this adult Alice. She was cynical, disbelieving and resistant to her calling (which was to slay the Jabberwocky). She had lost her muchness.

          Jesus said the same thing to one of his disciples. Well, not verbatim. In Matthew 14:22-33 Jesus was walking across the lake to the jostled boat that contained his disciples. Realizing it was Jesus, Peter said, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Jesus simply replied, “come.” Peter immediately (or should I say impulsively- it is Peter after-all) stepped out of the boat and walked ON THE WATER toward Jesus. Peter is out there, standing on top of the water–faith realized–and still lost heart.

          How could that happen? He took his eyes off of Jesus and focused on his circumstance. His focus was off of the ONE who is more than capable to do far greater than walk on water and so he began to sink. He lost heart. He lost his muchness.

          It would be easy to ridicule Peter for his lack of faith. After all, he was one of the twelve chosen by Jesus himself, he was with him in the flesh, he witnessed countless miracles with his own eyes and even helped with some of them. I mean, how can anyone encounter Christ personally and still lose heart? Easy. Christians do it everyday.

          Like Peter, we have had a personal encounter with Christ. We chose to be reborn into His family though the power of His blood. He personally chose us. We have His Spirit living inside of us with 24/7 access to God. Even with all of that, we still lose heart… I still lose heart. I still find myself focusing on my circumstances even after I have prayed and “given” them to God.

          In order to slay the Jabberwocky, Alice recites six impossible things she believes. For surely if she can believe these six impossible things, she can believe in the impossibility of slaying the Jabberwocky.

So maybe the key to not losing heart as a Christian would be to recite six (or so) things we believe about God~ 

Here are a few that help me:

• He loves me unconditionally (John 3:16, 1 John 4:9-12, Romans 5:8)
• He died and defeated sin and death and for me (1 Peter 3:18; Romans 6:7)
•    He forgave me completely (Colossians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 5:18,19,21; 1 John 1:9)
• He overcame the world for me (John 16:33)
• He will never leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5))
• He is my comfort and strength (Ps 46; 2 Corinthians 12:10)
• He is faithful even when I am faithless (Romans 3:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:13)
• He is preparing a place for me in Heaven and coming back for me (Hebrews 9:28; John 14:3)

What’s on your list? What verses bring you comfort in times of conflict or when you are under the pile of circumstances?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18