The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him—my father’s God, and I will exalt him! The Lord is my warrior; Yahweh is his name! Exodus 15:2-3 (Personalized)
I was curled up in a small corner of the couch snacking on chicken strips and ranch. I was watching one of my all-time favorite movies, The Last Samurai. I sat alone in a quiet room; everything seemed to be holding it's breath as the ending scenes flashed before my eyes. The thick harsh drum beats resounded off the walls and bounced in every direction. I began to cry, tears were streaming down my face...my heart was aching. I wanted Katsumoto to live! He was Samurai! He was a brave warrior! A man known for his honor! His life had left a major impact on the heart of Nathan Algren, an American soldier sent to Japan to train an infantry of Japanese soldiers to fight against the Samurai. Nathan had no idea that he would soon become one of them. At the very end, the Emperor asks Nathan to tell him how Katsumoto died and Nathan in turn replies, "No, your Majesty, I will tell you how he lived." I began to weep...I broke. My mom walked into our living room and sat down beside me and asked me why I was crying. The tears started flowing again as I tried to explain... I guess you could say the movie impacted me in a way that it hadn't before. What was it about a warrior's brave death? What made a life of loyalty and honor so touching?
Well, as I ponder, I am reminded of the Lord's gruesome death. He was an innocent lamb led to the slaughter. He was mocked. Abused. Tortured. Rejected. Friends, he did it for us. We were in His thoughts. Tom Malone states, "When Christ died on the cross of Calvary, He died with you and me in mind." We were on His heart. We were the reason. Our one true Warrior laid down His life for His Bride. It was all for us. He was the greatest example of a life of honor. We all are going to leave some type of legacy or impact on our world whether we like it or not… every word, every look, every motive…our lives are songs, their melodies. What is your life singing loudly to those around you?
The Lord left a legacy of love. Katsumoto left a legacy of honor. What about us? What will we do with what we have received from the Lord? Leo Buscaglia states, “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Let’s follow our Warrior’s footprints…let’s choose to live and leave a legacy of love. Let’s live purposeful lives. Lives that bring honor and glory to our Maker!
~Stephanie
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him—my father’s God, and I will exalt him! The Lord is my warrior; Yahweh is his name! Exodus 15:2-3 (Personalized)
