Kim Wilbanks

Childhood Movies

My children grew up watching Disney movies.  They were babes when classics such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Aladdin were released. We watched the movies so often that I still know the words of most of the songs today. My daughter was in her school’s production of Beauty and the Beast during her senior year of high school. She was a townsperson and a napkin.

When we traveled on road trips from Florida to North Carolina, we played a Disney movie game.  One person would say a line from a movie and the others would have to guess which movie it was from.  I would always start with “There’s a girl in the castle,” in my best French accent.  Can you guess which movie? 

One Line Always Stands Out

If you think about it, a line or two from a movie often stands out and makes it easily identifiable.  I thought about one of those lines recently.  It was a line uttered by Aladdin/Prince Abu in the 1992 animated feature Aladdin.

At one point in the movie, Aladdin notices Princess Jasmine in trouble.  He reaches out his hand to her and says “Do you trust me?”  She hesitantly takes his hand and he helps her escape from the angry market vendor who wants to chop off her hand for stealing an apple. 

A few scenes later, Aladdin, pretending to be a prince, again offers Jasmine his outstretched hand.  He again asks “Do you trust me?”  She says yes, with a look of suspicious recognition, and at this point he takes her on an amazing magic carpet ride, traveling beyond the safe but confining walls of the castle and showing her all of the wondrous sights of the world.

Where Does God Fit In The Picture?

I mean no disrespect or frivolity, but this could be a picture of God and us, his children.  He reaches out His hand to us and says “Do you trust me?”

• “Do you trust me to help you through the rough, scary times in your life”?
• “Do you trust me to take you to places you’ve never imagined”?
• “Do you trust me when my plans are different from yours?”
• “Do you trust me when you’re disappointed with how things are going?”
• “Do you trust me with your very life”?

We can choose to say yes, place our hand in God’s outstretched hand, and join Him or we can choose to say no and miss out on the amazing plans He has for us.  It is our choice.  Just as Aladdin didn’t force Jasmine to go with him, God does not force us. 

But, oh, what would we miss if we didn’t?

I don’t know about you, but as scary as it sometimes seems, I’m ready to grasp that outstretched hand and never let go.

Here are a few verses that mention God’s mighty or righteous right hand from the book of Psalms: 

Show your marvelous loving kindness, you who save those who take refuge by your right hand from your enemies.  Psalm 17:7

You have also given me the shield of your salvation.  Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great. Psalm 18:35

So that your beloved may be delivered, save with your right hand, and answer us. Psalm 60:5

My soul stays close to you. Your right hand holds me up. Psalm 63:8

You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies. Your right hand will save me.  Psalm 138:7

If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me. Psalm 139:9-10

Trusting God and waiting on him are on my mind a lot at this stage in my life. How about you? Do you struggle with trusting and waiting like me? How do you get through these times? I’d love to hear.

(In case you were wondering, the answer is Beauty and The Beast)