Escaping the loop

Iam not the first, and I won’t be the last to reference Groundhog Day: a cult classic giving rise to the timeloop plot. For the uninitiated, I will summarise the plot.

The movie centres around Phil, a grumpy weatherman who gets stuck in a time-loop on his worst day, Groundhog Day. After the day ends, he wakes up to start the day again. At first, he is confused and tries to get help. Then he realises there are no consequences to his actions and enters a life of debauchery. He binge-eats, has onenight stands, commits robbery, etc. Eventually, he gets bored. He wants to escape, so he commits suicide...

Only, to wake up again! He tries good deeds. Yet, no matter how hard he tries, one homeless man always dies, “it was his time”.

The movie finally ends with Phil realising enlightenment, selfimprovement and getting the girl he was “meant to be with”. The time-loop plot resonates with us. Some fantasize about what they would do if there were no consequences, if they could have infinite do-overs. But there is another reason it resonates with us, it somehow represents reality.

By Kevin Hua

Every day, we wake up, rush to work, drag our feet, go to sleep only to repeat it all. Some resign to a fate of a “normal life”. Some seek pleasure in food, alcohol, Tinder, and drugs. Some seek that next adrenaline rush, like sky diving. Some chase after wealth and power.

But eventually, we all get bored, which is where we get the term “midlife crisis”. Some escape into books, movies and video games. Others still live for 5 o’clock, the weekend, the next holiday. Others seek purpose in philanthropy, religion and “noble causes”. And then the one equaliser, “death”, it does not discriminate.

And how many people reach true enlightenment before that day?

“Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” From the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, we get the words of the “Teacher”, king of Israel, son of David. He is credited as being king Solomon, the “wise king”. Someone who has amassed wealth, for himself, for Israel; and peace on all sides. He enjoyed any activity he wanted, food, drink, gardening, architecture, including the temple and his own palace. He had his pick of any woman he wanted, 700 wives and 300 concubines. His epiphany?

It is all “meaningless”, “there is nothing new under the sun”, it has all been done before, and then, we all die...

What is Solomon’s advice?

God has set a time and a season for all things; a time to live, a time to die; a time to laugh, a time to cry. “He has made everything beautiful in its time” and “Every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor.” This is consistent with Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 6:6: “godliness with contentment is great gain”.

But this provides an alternative ending to “Groundhog Day”. Imagine Phil never escape, learning to be content with winning the girl’s heart over and over again (“50 First Dates”?). That was Solomon’s conclusion, but not ours, because Jesus gives us a better answer, hope.

“Creation was subjected to futility” because of hope (Romans 8). Our daily mundane and frustration is intentional, to point us to Jesus. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, Solomon realises our unfulfilled desire for eternity.

As we reflect on the church theme this year “Knowing the Times and Seasons”, let us learn to recognise each time and season, learn how God has made each season beautiful and glorify God in our deeds. And this we can do, because of the hope God has given us in the name of Jesus.