Sojourner #013: This Middle Earth

“Love not too well the work of thy hands and the devices of thy heart; and remember that the true hope of the Noldor lieth in the West, and cometh from the Sea.” 

(J.R.R. Tolkien, the Silmarillion)

This essay is part of a series titled, "From the Editor's Desk", a collection of essays from Sojourner's Editor-In-Chief. Our earnest desire is that these short essays might point you towards our great Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ the Righteous.

In many ways, the world that Tolkien created all those years ago mimics our own.

Of late, I have developed a deep love for the land of Middle Earth, in part due to the reality that the stories found within the pages of those books remind me of the faithfulness of God to His people.

Writing on this subject over the years I cannot help but remember just how much Tolkien disliked allegory, so I try not to draw something out of the text that is not there. However, we cannot read Tolkien without seeing, at the very least, shadows of our world contained within the one he created. As such, I have found it helpful to consider the land of Middle Earth in light of our own world.

In this fair land we find an ancient battle between light and darkness, we find tell of music and laughter and love and most importantly, of fellowship. We hear stories about the true king who will one day restore and mend all that is broken, we see magic come to life at the hands of mighty wizards, and we find unlikely heroes at every turn.

We are reminded that it is never wise to laugh at live dragons, to use well the time we are given, to set our eyes on the light that guides us, to take great care in meddling in the affairs of wizards, and we are forced to reckon with the fact that there are eternal things at stake in our own lives - to live for something more than self-preservation.

The quote I’ve listed at the top of this column hits at the very heart of everything we do here at Sojourner. Yes, we seek to take you into the proverbial trenches, to the ends of the earth, to show you the work that is being done among the nations, in hopes that you will join us in that endeavor. But, our great hope is not in our own collective efforts, nor in our strengths. No, our true hope lies elsewhere, in the Rock of Ages.

In Christ alone our hope is found.

From this vantage I believe that everything else begins to find its proper place. Understanding something of all that Christ has done for us should (and will) produce a change in us that is unlike anything we have ever seen before. It is, quite literally, supernatural.

Though the roads go ever on and though the darkness may surround, there is a hope that endures to the end. In our world we will face many trials and tribulations, our Lord has told us such. We need not face them without hope, and we need not face them alone. 

Our God has ransomed a people for Himself from every corner of the world, and He is the one who goes before us. He shall be our light, our guide, our song. 

In this here Middle Earth, the Lion of Judah roars.

May we fix our hope on this King who has come down to dwell among us, and as we await His triumphant return, may we use our time in a way that brings great glory to His name. 

Whether you find yourself at home in the Shire or wandering through the mines of Moriah, my parting words remain the same: 

In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall.

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Editor's Note: Sojourner Magazine does not own the rights to the Tolkien body of literature, or any of the other cited material(s). Please give credit where credit is due.

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