Daily Worship

Seeking

Allan Vint August 25, 2021 0 0
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Image credit: Radio Telescope, Allan Vint
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Psalm 34: 9-14 (NIVUK)

9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Whoever of you loves life
    and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

The intersection of science fiction and science fact has spawned many a good story or film. Some years back a film called ‘Contact’ starring Jodi Foster caught my attention. The plot of the film was a tale told around a ‘SETI’ program. SETI standing for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. There are, in fact, many efforts currently underway which are attempting to detect evidence of technological civilisations that may exist elsewhere in the universe, particularly in our Galaxy.

In the film (and I’m not really giving anything away) contact with what appears to be a non-random effect is made. This part is, however, fictional because to date nothing has been found that would lead us to deduce that advanced life exists anywhere else in the universe apart from this planet, but the yearning to find something ‘out there’ continues unabated.

As a believer in a powerful, creative and yet personal God I have made a discovery, not using telescopes of one kind or another but through the activity of God’s Spirit that there is something. Not actually ‘out there’ in the distance but close at hand — it is the God who cares for us. Yes, a super human intelligence but not an alien force — rather a more immediate and accessible God who comes to us to make contact and connection.

PRAYER:

Lord you have invited us to seek and to search you out and yet you have made the task too easy as the evidence for your existence and work surrounds us on every side.

Help us however to move from seeing to a point where we are willing to make contact, to meet with you and discover the full benefits of your presence with us. Amen.