Far From the Shallow Now

Far From the Shallow Now



 I enjoy watching my movies at a safe distance.  Normally I can enjoy the story without becoming too emotionally involved.  (Not so for my wife- that’s a whole other story!)  So you can imagine my surprise when I found myself watching a movie that drew me in emotionally and really got to me.  

The movie in question was, 'A Star is Born'- starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.  I was particularly moved by the song, ‘Shallow’ which has since gained significant airplay as well as winning numerous awards.   

The song is a duet between the aging rock star- played by Cooper and the up and coming singer and songwriter- played by Lady Gaga.  It expresses a desire to go beyond the shallows in life and dive to the depths.  The singers find this depth in their love for one another.  “The track is about jumping headfirst into love and not looking back.”1  And yet the song, like the film is about so much more.  It refuses to be shallow!

Following the award for best song at the Oscars, Gaga explained, “I really believe in my heart that the unfortunate truth is that our cell phones are becoming reality. It’s become reality for the world. And in this song we provide not just a conversation, but also a very poignant statement: I wish not to be in the shallow, but I am. I wish to dive off the deep end, but watch me do it.”2  So the song is about finding a deeper meaning in our current shallow way of living.  And yet there is more. 

It is not only love that fills the void that the song speaks of, but in the film alcohol, music, fame or money are also ways of finding meaning or coping with life.  Tonics to help with the wound.  

In an interview Cooper was asked what the wound was that inspired the film. 
He replied, “The wound was just the wound of being a human being.”3

It was this that grabbed me.  I identified with that hunger and thirst for something deeper and with the need for us as humans to find healing and redemption. Cooper expresses honesty in his storytelling as he says people tend to, “…fall in love and begin to heal, but eventually it becomes clear that love cannot heal you completely.”3  So what we reach for to heal us leaves us short.  

As deeply connected as I was with the film, I also was strongly repulsed at one point in the story.  (I won’t give away any spoilers here!)  Suffice it to say, whilst I agree that being broken is part of our human experience I also believe that healing is possible. 

In our current culture it appears that many have moved on from the Christian message and it’s offer of redemption and healing.  The sad truth is many have been wounded by those representing Christ rather than healed or helped.  For others the Christian message just appears to lack any depth or real connection to what really matters to them.  It is shallow.  

At the heart of Christianity is the story of the God-man who was himself wounded, suffered and died.  He understands our brokenness.  A poem by Edward Shillito - written in the suffering of WW1- captures this- 

 The other gods were strong; but Thou wast weak; 
They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne; 
But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak, 
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.4

He understands because He was wounded.  It is in his wounds we are healed.  The brokenness we experience as humans is far from shallow.  It comes from the depths of our hearts- where we have turned from God, yet He carries our healing in his hands.  “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53.5  

 The message of Easter is that, in Christ- 
God has taken on our wounds- He understands.  
God was wounded for our healing- He brings us hope.  

 We're far from the shallow now.  


1 https://genius.com/Lady-gaga-and-bradley-cooper-shallow-lyrics
2 https://www.bustle.com/p/the-meaning-of-shallow-from-a-star-is-born-is-actually-a-commentary-about-cell-phones-yes-really-16101535
3. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/27/movies/bradley-cooper-a-star-is-born.html
4. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/jesus-of-scars/

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