Power in His Touch

I went to see Power In His Touch by Collette Call this past Monday. My sister Sarah and her 12 year old daughter Julianne were in the show together. First. I just have to say how cool it is that they were able to do that together. Being in a show is crazy and fun and exhausting but I can only imagine that this mother and daughter duo are now closer to each other because they had this opportunity to be in a show together.

So, now to the show. I don't know what I was expecting - more of an oratorio I think and less of a musical. I was surprised and happy with the show. The music was fun and interesting and evoked emotion. The Mary's Lullaby and Power In His Touch songs were powerful and made me cry. Some might say that it is not hard to get me to cray - I suppose that is true. :)

One thing that I really adored was Collette's thoughts on Judas Iscariot. I have never had a true understanding of why Judas did what he did. I suppose I can't get that because we were not there. But I've never really tried to come to an understanding. There is the old adage that someone who betrays is "a Judas" so I've always had only negative feelings associated with my thoughts of Judas. In this play, Judas is a beloved character, he has a fierce love for the Jews and a great desire to free his people from the rule of the Romans. He learns of Jesus and follows Him thinking that if this Jesus is the Messiah - He will deliver the Romans. There is a song where Judas sings about how Jesus isn't the warrior He should be and about how He just talks about love and compassion. Judas laments that this isn't the way to free the Jews! However, on the other hand - there is something in His eyes. He sings about the spirit that is felt when Jesus is near and about that spirit that attends the miracles . . . It's a very moving song - full of confusion and torment for Judas.

Judas, in the play, decides that Jesus just needs a little push to become the warrior Messiah that he is supposed to be - the deliverer that he is supposed to be. So, he decides to 'betray" Jesus forcing Him to rise up and become this man Judas is looking for. When Judas realizes that his betrayal doesn't convert Jesus into a warrior, instead, it leads to Jesus' death, he realizes what he has done and the fullness of his betrayal and commits suicide.

I liked that in this story, I loved Judas, even during his betrayal. I could understand why he would have done this horrible thing. His betrayal was not out of greed for money or disdain for Christ, but out of a love of his Jewish brothers and a desire to help Jesus to be the deliverer of the people. What he didn't realize was that Christ is a redeemer and a deliverer, He just didn't come to deliver the Jews from physical bondage like they thought the Messiah would, but to deliver all men from Eternal bondage.

My heart ached while watching Judas make his wrong choice, and I ached when he realized what he had truly done. I thought - how many times have I made a wrong choice (maybe for a good reason) because I sought to tell the Lord what to do rather than listening and doing it His way?

I have thought about this much in the past few days and truly appreciated this new insight to Judas and the fact that I have learned a little something about myself too. I'm grateful for that this Easter/Spring season when I'm focusing on being better and becoming closer to Christ.

Thank you Sarah and Julianne for a wonderful show.