|
Like most kids growing up, many of my days were spent wanting to play outside; hoping mom would make "busketty" (national kid-speak for "spaghetti") for supper; and watching tons of television. Of course, I could only get back to playing and T.V. if I could manage to swallow (without the aid of any liquids) the "good-for-you" food on my plate that night. Sure, mom was trying to get my brother and I to expand our culinary horizons; but once it's proven a particular kind of food brings on the gag-reflex, you need to move on. Besides, there's always 'Flintstones Chewable Vitamins.' "Good for you" food equaled "an awful waste of space."
Many of my T.V. and movie favorites were: "Star Trek" (the original with William Shatner, a.k.a. "The Priceline Negotiator"), "Battlestar Galactica" (when Commander Adama was played by Lorne Greene [1978]... not the Edward James Olmos version of [2003]), "Star Wars" (the pre-edited versions), "War of the Worlds" (NOT the one starring Tom Cruise)... yes ...I'm old! Finally, and receiving dis-honorary mention: "Santa Clause Versus the Martians". Yikes - yet another "waste of space" (cinematically speaking). My excessive interest in and exposure to such shows would explain why, when I was able to get back outside after supper, I would find myself gazing heavenward, wondering if there was other life out there somewhere in the universe.
The reason for all of this nostalgia is a program I saw on the Science Channel recently. The topic was whether life exists elsewhere in the cosmos, with all of those interviewed hopeful that there is. The general feeling expressed: connecting with life elsewhere, with something or someone larger than us will bring a sense of meaning to our existence.
This same idea is expressed in the 1997 movie "Contact" starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey. At the end of the movie, Jodie Foster's character is giving a tour to some school-children visiting the facility she works for which uses powerful satellite dishes to attempt contact with extraterrestrial life. One of the children in the group asks her if we are the only ones living in the universe, to which she replies, "Well; if we are, then it's an awful waste of space."
From the human perspective, it is easy to see why someone would say that. It SEEMS ridiculous to assume that we are alone in such a vast expanse of infinity, like the ant viewing the seemingly 'infinite' amount of land on Earth as an aweful waste of space. From OUR perspective, though, it's 'finite.' But comparing us to God is like comparing one grain of sand against the entirety of all other matter in the universe, which in reality isn't even THAT close! As Ron Rhodes wrote in his book "Alien Obsession", "The sheer vastness of the physical universe points us to the GREATER vastness and infinity of God Himself" (see also Psalm 19:1-4; Revelation 21:1-2; 22:3, emphasis mine).
Even if life elsewhere were proven to exist, why settle for answers in the 'creation' when we can have relationship with THE CREATOR? Ron Rhodes again writes, "Humans by nature are religious. God created people with an innate desire to find spiritual answers to life's deeper questions... when people find these answers in the person of Jesus Christ, the resulting relationship is healthy... Unfortunately, many people today are turning to UFOs and extraterrestrials to fulfill this spiritual need... [this] indicates a hunger for 'contact', for communication with something larger than humanity."
Like trying to fit the proverbial square peg in a round hole, we CAN achieve the illusion of a 'fit.' But it will ALL ultimately be found to be lacking. As Greg Laurie wrote in "The New Believer's Bible", "We each have a hole in our heart, a spiritual vacuum deep within our soul - a 'God-shaped blank.' Possessions won't fill this hole, nor will success. Relationships alone cannot satisfy this emptiness, and morality, in and of itself, falls miserably short of occupying this space. In fact, even religion cannot fill the void in our heart. There is only one way to fill that void."
This is the greatest "awful waste of space": filling our hearts (the space reserved for God alone) with everything else BUT God. As interesting as it is to wonder what else is "out there", we need to ask ourselves WHY we look to the cosmos for answers. Ultimately, we want to do it like Frank Sinatra once sang... "I did it MY way" (emphasis mine).
Our wonder with what's out there somewhere needs to switch from a longing for 'contact' with an alien race to 'contact' with the One True Living God. And rather than hoping that some advanced alien civilization has the cure for all that ails the human race, why not look to Jesus who, by filling the void in our hearts, can bridge every racial gap, heal every sickness, and ultimately, prepare us for the life to come with Him in Heaven?
|
perry meade
