WHO’S IN CHARGE
READ: GENESIS 1: 1-5
In The beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (V. 1)
My wife and I were watching a science show on Public Television that documented the voyage of the New Horizons Space probe launched in 2006. Hurtling through space at 36,000 miles per hour it passed and photographed Jupiter from 2.3 million miles away on 02/28/2008. An astounding 8 years later it flew by Pluto and photographed it from 7,880 miles above the surface. (Due to the photographs of its size, Pluto was demoted from planet status to a numbered space lump.) Seeing large masses beyond Pluto, the scientists set the probe on its way and in 2016 discovered the Kuiper Belt which may hold more planets. They succeeded in photographing one of the Belt’s space masses, Ultimate Thule on 1/1/2019. This find is triggering a belief they are close to discovering the birthplace of planets and life. You know the Big Bang Theory of static electricity and dust.
Here on earth, the last few weeks have produced another round of mass shootings in California, El Paso and Dayton. These events have once again produced an endless sea of analysis identifying the causes for these events and setting forth the required fixes to end these acts of domestic terrorism. This analysis, and public outcry for change, has stimulated an avalanche of political debate on what our nation must do to avert and minimize these senseless acts of hate in the future. The underlying theme of this rhetoric seems to focus on the fact we are in control and need only enact a few laws to make things better.
The comparison of a space probe and acts of domestic terrorism seem to be at polar opposites of the spectrum of life, but taking a closer look they both seek to answer the age old question, “Who is in Charge?” The correct answer, which we often try to avoid in any public discourse, is God. He is the source of all knowledge that permits us to explore the vastness of His creation which, despite the application of the most advanced precepts of science, inevitably demonstrates that He alone is the author of all life. Without a scintilla of doubt, we as a people must pool our collective resources of God given talents to bring an end to the climate of hate that is sweeping our nation and to address the many pronged challenges associated with acts of mass violence. But, to think we can do it on our own is a grave error, one that blatantly ignores our responsibility to humble ourselves before God seeking his wisdom and discernment-for He is in charge, not us!
PAUSE FOR REFLECTION AND PRAYER
It is truly comforting that we are in God’s hands all the time, but we must never forget he is the Divine Master of everything.
Dear Father God, help us to humbly acknowledge your supremacy over everything and to seek your face in all we do.