cause and effect, ultimately.

bourne ultimatum was an awesome tri-quel to the bourne series. (does "tri-quel' exist? i don't care, you know what i mean)

ingenius. the choreography, the cinematic sequences, the cast, the set, everything. of course, if you never watched Bidentity and Bsupremacy, then this might be kinda over your head for you (only if you're not a seasoned movie-goer!). but really, very impressive piece of film! enjoyed every moment of it. came out of the movie in awe.

toward the end of the 1hr and 51mins, i was filled with sympathy for matt damon's character Jason Bourne. he spent three years of his life running, hard. trying to find out his past that seemingly was wiped out. but in this tri-quel, he found his closure, and it wasn't what he was expecting at all. (spoiler warning!) jason bourne was previously david webb. meeting the doctor who oversaw his whole training program that erased webb and thus created bourne, the truth hit home. "we didn't choose you, jason. you chose us...you walked in that day, and you volunteered for the program." bourne/webb was confused. all this while he thought it was all done TO him, without his consent. it was others to be blamed. "you can't undo the path you chose." he was stunned.

i think in many ways it challenges me to think about cause and effect. we all like to think of grace and mercy, especially because we do believe that no person however careful can ever be sin-free enough to avoid condemnation. nobody's perfect, right? hey! grace, anyone? yes please! our God is a God of amazing grace, isn't He? yes, He is. but what happens to us when consequences of our choices catch up with us at some point of our lives, perhaps years after that point of decision? how does God look at me?

the world teaches me cause and effect. God does too. the bible talks about reaping what you sow. you sow good, you reap good. you sow bad, go figure. cause and effect. but sometimes, with all good intentions, i don't always sow good. unconsciously or consciously, no matter - i don't feign ignorance every time. i CAN'T. does God hold everything against me? i'd like to think not. He wipes my slate clean and helps me start afresh. He removes my transgressions from me and cleans me white as snow. true repentance leads me to experience the TOTAL reality of his grace and the kindness of his love. mercy is available for me, despite my wrong choices. i can't undo the path i chose. that's true. but God can, and that's truer.

so, does that mean i can throw caution to the wind, and hope all consequences are buried? will there still be consequences of sin, even after repentance? in some cases, i believe so. that's where restitution comes in. should there be consequences that one must live with for the rest of one's life, God gives grace to endure it to the end. He wouldn't hold nothing against you any more, but He'd allow it to stay with you - a life lesson (to teach others, too). should God see it right that one be fully released from that consequence, however, that's also grace.

bourne got a new lease of life at the end of the movie. i don't know abt a 4th bourne movie, but he lived. he didn't get a chance to turn back the clock or undo that decision which changed his whole life, but after going back to meet that doctor and coming to terms with his past, the closure must have meant a lot. it would fuel his tenacity to face his future thereon.

many of us make choices that have consequences which could stay with us our whole lives. we can only find strength to face our future because His mercies are new every morning, His rod and His staff comforts us, and He sees us as His prodigals come home.