I am a bit obsessed with escapism in movies and books. “The Lord of the Rings,” “Dune,” and “A Song of Ice and Fire,” (a.k.a. “Game of Thrones”) are just a few examples. Comic books, television series and graphic novels - I just love the alternate universes created by fictional writers in which things that seem impossible in this reality are common in that universe.
Through high-school I played a game called “Dungeons and Dragons.” My son has played “Halo,” “Call of Duty” and other video games. Stick with me. These are all based upon the principles of role-playing. It’s another version of taking that which is impossible in this reality and making it possible somewhere else. Here are some common themes to roleplaying world from the player’s point of view:
Choose who you are - backstory, character definition and motivations
Special weapons, powers, talents and physical design
Quests, adventures, journeys and missions
Fierce opponents and close friends as well as the indifferent masses
I love these types of games. Fantasy and alternative realities are great escapes from the boring and limited world within which I live. Nothing supernatural happens here and I do not get to choose any of the things that I can in a roleplaying game.
Rewind.
What is supernatural?
The unexplainable happens - the miracles of Jesus
Battles are won because of the intervention of God - Gideon at Jericho
Healing, raising the dead, miracle births - Lepers, Lazarus, Isaac
Fire from the skies, floods from the ocean - Moses and Noah
Demons cast out and Satan defeated - Jesus
Spirit living within us and guiding us through our journeys - The Holy Spirit brought to the apostles during Pentecost
When I go back through the list of the elements of roleplaying in a magical world it is pretty apparent that I live in a magical world. What is magic in this world? That created by God that we cannot understand or explain. Healings, provision, protection and the constant struggle between Christ-followers and Satan. We are on a quest like those fictional characters- we are mission-bound to SAVE THE WORLD! God is supernatural and we are his agents in this reality to go on mission and be a part of the quest. It's actually kind of cool if you think about this life as if it were a fantasy movie of God's writing.
I’m waiting to watch the last episode of “Game of Thrones.” It’s my fictional guilty pleasure of dragons and wizards in a different magical world. I had not thought about the fact that we live in a supernatural world and its power if we consider what God has done and is doing.
There is a desire for the supernatural to be natural. Fantasy to be fact.