Katie Nelson

I become an evangelist for whatever I am consuming.

This past week it’s been: Sherlock.

Seriously though, BBC’s Sherlock is amazing. I had a coworker who loved it, but it always takes me a while to warm up to ideas. Last Thursday however, I sat on my couch – and having blown through season 2 of Downton Abbey, found myself too tired to read and with nothing to watch.

That’s when Sherlock Holmes appeared.

Not literally, but on the Netflix homescreen. I remembered my coworker raving about it, so one thing led to the next and less than 24 hours later – 2 seasons (which is really only 6 episodes b/c it’s a mini series) was done.

I didn’t even start out loving it. The first 2 episodes were more of just like a thing to do… but then I couldn’t stop – and now my life is consumed by the U.K. via Downton and Sherlock. I can’t stop thinking about different parts of the shows – and talking about them – everything relates back to them! and they are all I want to watch. I NEED season three of both shows…

What I really need is to be consumed by the things of God first and foremost- because truly, due to the way God has wired me, I cannot “kind of” do anything. I’m either all in or all out. Not saying this isn’t something I should work on – hence this blog post. I’m realizing I need balance and discipline.

But like today, in the car, I was listening to Satellite Kites, and the God-centric lyrics were deeply satisfying and nourishing to my soul.

Drink deep, my soul, drink deep – of food and words and pictures that actually matter. Not that other things don’t matter, or that Sherlock and Downton are bad – there are awesome themes and analogies and just cultural things that I’m learning – but the meat of my diet must be

God’s Word.

As I was thinking on this, Deuteronomy 6:4-9 came to mind:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the the door frames of your houses and on your gates.”

This brings me back to a realization I had a few months ago…

I can’t be creative without God. It is only by fixing our eyes on Him that who we were meant to be is revealed in all uniqueness. When you look to other people and things to find inspiration, you begin to look like those people and things.

What do you want to reflect?

Who do you want to reflect?

I want to point people to God, to His love, to His sacrifice, to His all consuming, powerful, energy drink of life – fill me to the brim with Your goodness Lord. May the fruits of the Spirit spill out of me into all atmospheres, causing a mess of eternal bliss that captives you who exist, but persist in going your own way- insisting on suffocating your soul a little more each day. I pray that you would see the Creator through me.

That’s what I want to reflect because

I was Sherlocked in sin, but I am forever free because Christ bought me, not to consume this world blindly but to walk through it cautiously with eyes on Him so that I can love extravagantly. This is only possible if He does it and He’s done it.

Praise Him.