How To Train Your Dragon - Cressida Cowell

So I need to confess that I actually watched the film of this before I read the book. Sorry! But no matter as the content of both is brilliant! I mean who doesn't like a story with a dragon in it? If you haven't read the book (or watched the film!) then here's is what happens...

A group of tough Vikings live in a remote and harsh island where dragons dwell. Throughout their history, these Vikings have sought to master the dragons and make them subject to them. Until the smallest and most disappointing Viking of the pack finds another way.

The story of Hiccup Haddock (son of the Chief) and most weedy Viking to ever have lived becoming a master of dragons is a true underdog story. Hiccup is everything a Viking should not be, small, weak and a disaster in almost every area of his life, made worse by the fact that he is the son of the tribal chief - who is everything Hiccup isn't. And here is the fundamental human truth - we will fail others.

Hiccup spends most of his days wondering if this is the worse day of his life, or if, by some stroke of luck, he has had a day worse that the one he is currently living. Most often he finds it is his worse day. He is constantly weighing up how he is not like the other Vikings, how he cannot do what is expected of him, and how he is a failure with every endeavour he undertakes. And waiting to be kicked out the tribe and into exile for failing to fulfil the duties of a Viking.

While I may not spend quite as much time as Hiccup assessing my daily failures, I am acutely aware, that I do constantly and consistently fail others. It would tempting at this point to say something about other people's expectations being too high, or me not being allowed to be who I was made to be and flourish in my giftings. And while that may sometimes be true, the reality is that I fail others most often because I am still so full of sin. I fail others because I cannot be bothered, or I didn't care enough to remember, or I didn't want to. Their expectations weren't too high, I just didn't want to sacrifice something in order to do what needed to be done.

It goes against all of today's culture to say that you are a failure. Culture tells us that we just haven't found our thing yet. Or that others are to blame. And tempting as that is to latch on to, it's not the truth. I fail others because I am still just a bit rubbish. The Bible calls this the now and not yet of sanctification. We have been made right with God through Jesus but we are not yet the finished article. There is still work to be done. And this is good news really, otherwise we'd probably be asking for a refund if we were left the way we are.

So here is the wonderful Bible truth that counters our human failure - God never fails.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3v22-23

God never fails. Ever. He never sleeps. He never forgets. He never gives up half way. He never thinks someone else will do it. He never puts it off until tomorrow. Each and every day His compassions never fail and His work that began in you continues until it is done. He cannot fail you. To do so would mean He was not God. It is unfathomable for us to realise this in our lives. The saving work that started in us goes on, relentlessly each and every day. Today you are a little bit more Christ like than you were yesterday if you are a believer. And tomorrow you will be a little bit more again.

God's enduring faithfulness in the face of our enduring failing is beautiful to behold. If helps us to lift our heads up from the mess we have once again made. It helps us to seek forgiveness from those we have failed. And it helps up to keep going. Selfishness is a dragon to train. On our own we cannot do it but with Christ who goes before us in all things, slowly, painfully, with much falling and stumbling it happens.