I recently watched the academy award winning movie, ‘Gravity’, about a fictional apocalypse in space and the escape of the movie protagonist to the earth against all odds. This movie is highly regarded for its quality of screenplay and graphics.
Does being technologically superior make, we humans, invincible?
Human Beings are nothing when compared to the majesty of this universe. There is no other planet in this universe which is habitable for humans. No matter how technologically superior we are, we still err. We still have sickness. We still have death. Bible describes the inadequacy of humans beautifully:
As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. (Psa 103:15-16)
If this created universe is appearing mighty when compared to man, how much more great and powerful God, who created this universe, would be than us?
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. (Isa 40:12-15)
All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? (Isa 40:17-18)
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psa 8:3-4)
We need to live in a different perspective of life. When we understand who we really are and how weak and fragile human life is, we will be serious about our pursuit of glory to God. God in His mercies, gave His only Son as an atonement for our sins (1Cor 15:1-4), though we are insignificant, yet we became significant and worthy because of God’s abundant grace and mercy.
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. (Psa 8:5-8)
It is because of the authority which God has given to man, we are having dominion over the creation of this earth. It is not because we are superior to other living things but because of sole absolute grace that He has made us in His image.
In the beginning of this movie, all the astronauts had been enjoying and relaxing at the apparent emptiness and peace which was unfortunately temporary. They were not prepared and not fearful of the dangers which can happen in space. Instead they thought that their lives would be peaceful and nothing would happen to them. Similarly, many people are living in this earth as if this life is the only life in this universe and they are going to live here permanently. We see deaths every day. Still many think that death will never come to them. They are so lost in this world that even many believers start to enjoy this world. Remember the warning words of our Saviour:
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot--they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all-- so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. (Luk 17:26-30)
Getting married, eating, buying, selling and building may be innocent affairs of this earth but if that is our ultimate motive of life rather than glorifying God, then we are in the slippery slope. We should remember that in both the cases of Noah and Lot, the destruction came suddenly without any sign. And Jesus is saying that the similar thing is going to happen now when Christ comes back during judgement of this earth. We don’t know when we are going to die. Christians, are we living like those astronauts carelessly or fearfully waiting on the Lord, praying continuously and being awake all the time like those wise virgins? (Mat 25:1-12)
The movie’s protagonist had the ultimate motive of going back to the earth against all odds. Most probably, she would have wished to live in the earth for the sake of her child. For that, she was willing to take all the risk by going to Russian and Chinese space stations in hope that she can return to earth. If that secular, paganistic astronaut had hope to live in this temporary life, how much more should we Christians be hoping for the eternal life which we have in Christ? Just as how that astronaut realised that her stay in space was temporary, let us also remember that this life on this earth is fleeting and hope for a beautiful, eternal life of happiness and joy in the presence of God.
For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2Co 5:1)
This life is temporary. Do you realise that? If not, you are in a delusion. Repent and trust in the Lord.
If you have liked this, you can also read What can satisfy Tendulkar?
If you have liked this, you can also read What can satisfy Tendulkar?
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