The Circle of Life

Last night on Britain’s Got Talent we saw Nic Vani sing ‘The Circle of Life’ from The Lion King. It’s a few years since we saw the Lion King. It’s a great story with challenging themes of destiny, choosing right over wrong, personal self-discovery, responsibility, identity…

From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There’s more to be seen than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done

In the circle of life
It’s the wheel of fortune
It’s the leap of faith
It’s the band of hope
‘Til we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life

Over the last week we have reflected on Jesus’ suffering and the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. Today is Easter Sunday. We celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. The tragic narrative of an innocent man suffering and dying is transformed as he comes back to life. In church this morning we shall hear ‘he is risen’. We shall respond. ‘He is risen indeed’.

‘The wheel of fortune’ isn’t about life’s randomness and hope for good luck, but a God who plans everything and is in total control… ‘The leap of faith’ is taken in choosing to believe and commit to the crucified Saviour who comes back to life… ‘The band of hope’ comes with the realisation that the greatest tragedies in life can be transformed into blessings, that death can become life.

Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with the scars

There’s far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

This is a song about the great truths of mankind and this planet, but it’s more than that. It speaks personally to me, about me – my troubles, my scars, and my life today. It’s my circle of life – taking the baton that my spiritual forefathers passed to me, so that I can run my lap. It’s my wheel of fortune that my God has planned for me. It’s my leap of faith as I continue to believe ‘He is not here. He is risen.’ trusting each day of my life to Him. It’s my band of hope as today I see evil turned to good, grief turned to joy, death turned to life.

And it’s in this Easter Sunday life, fortune, faith and hope, that I discover my place on my unwinding path in the circle of life.

In the circle of life
It’s the wheel of fortune
It’s the leap of faith
It’s the band of hope
‘Til we find our place
On the path unwinding, yeah
In the circle, the circle of life