Why are people so fascinated with “Twilight” and “The Walking Dead”, in other words, the undead?

We have reinvented vampires. Once, they were unseemly; horrific; monsters that moved through the shadows of night and took our lives away or worse, converted us to the undead like them. Now, vampires are sparkly and shiny with six pack abs, doe eyes, incredible super powers and they can come out in the sunlight. They can deny their dangerous side and drink the blood of animals. They compose haunting music and write novels unlike any the human race has seen.

Why? Because we want to live forever. And, we don’t want to live forever as one of those evil vamps. We want to be Bella and Edward. We want to run through verdant green forests and recline in flowery meadows and stare endlessly into each other’s eyes and . . . well, after a few thousands years that might get BORING!!!!

Sorry, but this idyllic concept of eternity just leaves me cold and sterile. On the other hand, I don’t want to lurch through deserted, debris filled city streets with half of my guts hanging out looking for the next warm, pulsating brain to eat. Why would anyone want to be a zombie?

Because, zombies don’t have to think. Zombies shuffle through life mindless of the stress of living. They don’t have to make any decisions, post any blogs, catch up on Facebook, tweet, pay bills, or worry about election returns. They shuffle through life mindlessly pursuing something to kill and eat. Simple. Elegant. BORING!!!

The truth of the matter is that once we had a story of our lives here on planet Earth. It was a story with a singular Beginning, a redemptive Middle, and a promising End. But, we have abandoned the Story of God. We have pushed God out of the Creator seat and replaced Him with Chance. The Universe is all there is or all there eve will be. Carl Sagan said that. We only have what we can see, taste, smell, touch, and hear. Science gives us all the answers, according to Bill Nye, the science guy and Stephen Hawking. Who needs history and philosophy? Who needs theology?

WE DO! If we were just animals stumbling through life totally slave to our instincts it would be different. But, my dog, Romeo reclining on the floor beside me has no appreciation of the elegant strains of Bach playing on my computer. He cannot appreciate the loss and love of my father by looking at a photograph or reading an entry in my late father’s Bible. He has NO appreciation of art, beauty, music, creativity. Those elements come from God — we are made in His image.

Ah, here is the conundrum. We know in our hearts there is more to life than just living and dying. We sense the divine. God has put eternity in the hearts of all men, the wise author of Ecclesiasties proclaims. We strive to touch the hem of His garment; to catch a glimpse of His light; to feel the warmth of His love; to embrace the comfort of His forgiveness.

He is still there, waiting in the shadows, a secret companion behind the strident clamor of modern culture. I took a walk in the woods and I sensed his voice in the whisper of the wind; the gently susurration of leaves stirring with life; the musky fragrance of an autumn bloom. He is there and He can still be found. But, not in the line at the cinema or in the looming shadow of a vampire or the lurching clumsiness of a zombie.

I have spoken to those who have had a glimpse of what lies beyond the Veil. They can barely articulate in human terms what awaits us in those other dimensions. But, I know this. There is no world, no sky, no music, no art, no figment of human imagination that can EVER match what God has in store for us! And it will never by BORING!

Search for the divine and He will find you!