“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel…”
Ephesians 6:19
I had a lot to learn as a new Christian and I soon discovered (to borrow a phrase from Art Linkletter) that Christians can “say the darndest things.” I won’t forget, for instance, how taken aback I was by a missionary who told me once, “I covet your prayers.” Wait a minute… Isn’t it a sin to covet? Well, I guess there are exceptions to the rule.
Of course, there are!
Take Paul, for instance. Clearly, he “coveted” the prayers of his fellow believers. I find that admirable, actually. There he was… a leader of the church, an apostle. He didn’t need others; others needed him, right? Indeed, if anyone had what it takes to make things happen, it was bald-headed, bow-legged, sharp-tongued Paul. Why should he ask for prayer?
For me, the answer is wrapped up in his use of the word “mystery.” Paul knew that there is a mystery at the heart of the gospel and that he needed to unpack that mystery sufficiently well for his audience to understand his message and, hopefully, come to faith in Christ. In some ways, I think, Paul was himself trying to figure things out as he went along! But no shame. The gospel was wrapped in mystery after all, and Paul needed the prayers of others to help him “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
The illustration suits me well as a filmmaker, I believe. For I desire with all my heart to bring the gospel to the world. But I don’t look to do so through a didactic approach. In obedience to my teacher, Paul, I believe I am to share the gospel first and foremost as a mystery, and to hint at that mystery through story, symbolism, ambiguity, metaphor, nuance, beauty and all those other good things that artists employ in their craft. At heart, I’m an explorer looking for buried treasure. Sometimes, I find it. And when I do—God is my witness—I share it with all the world.
I like what Ingmar Bergman said: “No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls.” Perhaps that is where the mystery is meant to take us and where it is meant to be further revealed. Where “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).
So, dear friend, can I ask you to pray for me? Yes, I do covet your prayers. Please pray that in my work, I will fearlessly (and artistically) make known the mystery of the gospel. I have writing projects in the works (books and screenplays) as well as film projects. And by the way, if you ask me to pray for you, I will endeavor to do so. Feel free to reply to this email and tell me what I should pray for.
Su servidor,
