In 2014, ‘The Lego Movie’ introduced us to Emmet, a construction worker whose positive outlook can be summed up in the song everything is awesome… when you’re living out a dream.’ Emmet, with the help of Lucy and a group of friends, defeat an evil tyrant and restore harmony to their world of bricks.

Unfortunately for Emmet, everything is not awesome, and the sequel (just released in cinemas) explores this theme. Children’s films are good at exploring the real world through imagination and fantasy. The catchy theme song is now re-written with bleak lyrics and slower beat:

‘Everything’s not awesome.

Everything’s not cool.

I am so depressed.

What’s the point? There’s no hope.

Awesomeness was a pipedream.’

Our God created a perfect world which was indeed awesome, a world in which everything was good. But sin’s entrance into the world means everything’s no longer awesome. Disobedience, rebellion, injustice, sickness and death are now part of our world and awesomeness so often does feel like a pipedream.

This bleak, dystopian view of the world is not the end of the story, however. Lucy, as the Lego pieces are shut away in darkness, sings,

‘Everything’s not awesome,

But that doesn’t mean that it’s hopeless and bleak.

Everything’s not awesome,

But in my heart, I believe.’

Lucy faces the truth that ‘everything’s not awesome’, but still believes there is hope. She faces the unrealistic expectation of constant awesomeness all the time in a difficult world but also believes individuals can make a difference if they stick together. She becomes the embodiment of hope.

We may feel disappointed and disillusioned with the state of the world today. But the gospel message is good news that God cared enough to send His Son into our far-from-awesome world and that Jesus, through His life, death and resurrection, did everything that is necessary to restore things to how God originally meant them to be. ‘Everything’s not awesome’ – yet. But we have an awesome God and He’s given us a new song to sing. ‘The Lego Movie 2’ has a new song that’s going to stick inside your head! God has a new song too for us to sing, a song of praise to our God.