Between the Panels

A couple of Sundays ago, I was really challenged by something my pastor was sharing with us in his sermon.  His challenge/statement was that if we are neglecting our time with God in private, everything else we do publicly is just a show . Let that sink in for a moment.  Our tendency is to look for big spiritual hype in large crowds, where there is already a vibe on a group level to have this experience. It can almost at times become a show of comparing who had the deeper connection with God that day (Sundays usually).  However, we don't ask each other "How has been your personal time with God been?" The big reminder in this sermon was that we need to get back to those personal times with God, where we meet with Him without anyone knowing it. It kinda struck me as I was listening that this was like Bleach (shocker, I know, I am connecting a sermon to something nerdy).  Bleach fans love the big battles that Ichigo fights (Mr. Urahara, Captain Zaraki, Byakuya Kuchiki,...

If you have been around me as a fellow anime fan, you'll likely hear my adoration of the anime series Bleach (available to binge watch on Disney+).  In summary, Bleach features this teenager (Ichigo) who becomes a Soul Reaper that fights off bad spirit beings (hollows) to keep the world of the living safe.  What makes this series amazing is not just the epic fights Ichigo gets into, or the rocking, cheesy 90's theme music during those scenes, but the heart behind what Ichigo is fighting for.  When he is given this power/role of being a Soul Reaper, it was to defend his family from a hollow.  Whenever Ichigo picks up his massive sword (zanpakto), he doesn't swing it for himself; he is always swinging it for the aid of those around him.  He is the defender of those who can't defend themselves.  What makes it even more amazing is that when he faces a foe that is seemingly impossible to fight, he goes to work and pushes himself even further to be able to fight ...