I have been watching a lot of old movies lately. I have been exploring movies from the 1960s through the 1980s. I am particularly interested in those films that you cannot find on Netflix or any online source, anymore. Now this is true of some of the Hellraiser films. Some of them are not available just because no one watched them to begin with, especially Hellraiser 2 and 3. Even Hellraiser 4: Bloodlines was attributed to Alan Smithee (a moniker that directors use when are incredibly embarrassed about their own job and they do not want the audience to know who directed it)! I liked the fourth one, but what do I know about which movies are good? Nonetheless, the original Hellraiser is still considered a horror classic and continues to spawn sequels.

The film starts with Uncle Frank seeking a new and unique experience. It motivated him to open the puzzle box and let out the demons. Then when the Lead Cenobite (Pinhead) is asked what they are, he replies, “We are explorers in the further regions of experience….”. Uncle Frank was seeking a new experience and he got it. However, it was not one I think that he really wanted.

You may know people who want to do things like take new drugs, experiment with strange sexual practices, travel to dangerous places, or seek other thrills just to raise their adrenaline to see how it feels. You may be that kind of person yourself. I want to encourage you that the experience of following the Lord will result in a life that is abundantly full of experiences which will push the envelope of experience. The Enemy does not have a monopoly on thrilling and dangerous experiences or good feelings as Hollywood would have us believe. For example, you remember that Jesus turned water into wine, right?

Yes, following the Lord does require us to make some sacrifices of experience. But so does not following the Lord. Uncle Frank from Hellraiser can support this idea. Uncle Frank, in saying, “yes” to what he was into had to say “no” to other things. Saying “yes” to drugs and liquor is saying, “no” to a lot of other experiences. Truly, a body that is healthy and a mind that is alert is something you will have to say, “no” to if you have the experience of taking drugs and drinking a lot of alcohol. In addition, the sad truth of it is that the high will not last. It will become old quickly and you will long to have the same high that you had the first time. Saying “yes” to a lot of sexual experiences may mean saying “no” to other things. For example, you may have to say “no” to a great woman who kept most of the crazy stuff for marriage and who does not want a man who has had a lot of experiences. Regardless, the Bible promises that sex within marriage IS BEST. Saying “yes” to going to a dangerous place or a dangerous activity may mean saying “no” to a long life. If we say “no” to following God we are forfeiting His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control, the fruits of the Spirit.

I am not saying that those experiences are bad in and of itself. As Augustine said, “Everything in moderation, except love!” Your doctor may recommend a new drug for you or put morphine in your body if you are in great pain. Your spouse may want to experiment sexually with something that you find weird or disturbing. You maybe called to travel to/make a living in/serve in a place that is dangerous. You may be a person that is open to bungee-jumping, rock-climbing or the crazier rides at the amusement park. That is not a sin.

Following the Lord and allowing Him to show you what you can do and you can be, is a roller coaster, discovering a treasure, an experience worth having. It can definitely be dangerous. The path of choosing the Lord’s best comes with a connection to the Divine, a promise of eternity, and a promise that it is the best way. In Heaven, you will get even more! It is a challenging experience worth exploring and pursuing and having faith in and it will not end in being torn apart by demons, as was Uncle Frank’s fate.

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

——————————————————————————————————–W.