To Boldly Go

Geeks of Faith Devotion – To Boldly Go

          Saturday was the 52^nd anniversary of the premier of Star Trek.  That show completely changed how we thought about Science Fiction.  Some Christians didn’t think that we should be thinking about boldly going where no one has gone before.  I have had arguments with well meaning Sunday School teachers or cousins saying that Humanity is the pinnacle of God’s creation.  Thinking that there is life on other planets is sinful.  I have always thought that opinion was crazy.

          If God created Billions and Billions of stars with billions of planets around them, wouldn’t it be silly for God to make them all just dead rocks?  If there are billions of species here on Earth alone, how much more would there be throughout the universe.

          I don’t think it is “sinful” to dream of boldly going and searching for life among the stars.  I think it is far more sinful to try to limit God’s creativity to one small planet in one small solar system.

          People say that it is a miracle that all the conditions were right here for life to begin at all.  That is amazing!  But wouldn’t it prove God is even greater if somewhere out there there were Vulcans, and Wookies, and Mimbari… and of course PORG!  The larger our knowledge of the universe becomes, the greater God becomes for me.  I think the real miracle is that God cares about us puny humans on this little ball of water.

          Listen to the words of Psalm 8:  O Lord, our Sovereign,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.
²     Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
    to silence the enemy and the avenger.

³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars that you have established;
⁴ what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
    mortals^[a] that you care for them?

⁵ Yet you have made them a little lower than God,^[b]
    and crowned them with glory and honor.
⁶ You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
    you have put all things under their feet,
⁷ all sheep and oxen,
    and also the beasts of the field,
⁸ the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
    whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹ O Lord, our Sovereign,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

          It is a miracle that God knows each of us by name.  Each hair on our head is numbered.  We are beloved children.  If God loves us that much, it doesn’t mean God can’t love some other creatures somewhere out there, where no human has gone before.  I only have two children, not billions, but when Alexander was born that didn’t mean I loved Martin any less.  God’s love is big enough to love all of creation, even if that means loving Klingons too.