What if the Russians had been the first nation to land on the Moon?
That’s the premise of Apple TV’s series, For All Mankind. That one departure from our actual history—it occurs early in the very first episode—changes everything. What happens next is stunning. We continue the Apollo rocket program well beyond what we actually did. That leads to many changes: new astronaut program, new faces, new leaders, new roles for women and people of color. Eventually, even different Presidents occupy the White House than in our reality.
But some things don’t change, like the need for spacecraft to dock with each other out in the void. That is a lengthy, difficult, and highly-structured process, even in our real timeline. It can take days to accomplish. At the end, it’s moving mere inches for excruciatingly slow periods of time. We see it when astronauts attempt to dock with the International Space Station. It’s made even longer because, at multiple points, fresh permissions must be obtained before proceeding.
I think most of us believe getting to God works much the same way: full speed toward God; stop and wait; get more permissions; slow our approach; stop again; get even more permissions. And then, right when we think we have finally made it, jumped through all the hoops, we're told to wait—again. We see God as the International Space Station, floating majestically out in space, expending no energy at all, just awaiting our approach. We see ourselves as the rocket, expending all the energy to connect with God. But we have a fundamental misunderstanding about God.
God does not expect us to "do all the work." The scriptures are clear on this, in both the Old Testament and the New. James writes, "Draw near to God and God will draw near to you." Don't get the wrong idea, though; it's not a quid pro quo. Look at the father in the parable about the prodigal son: As soon as he sees his son "still a long way from home," he runs to his son, meeting him well down the road.
That is the spirit in this week’s scriptures, especially Ezekiel 34 and Psalm 95. God wants us. We are welcome. God is not waiting for us to execute a painstaking series of maneuvers to approach him. He is searching for us, looking down the road, ready to run to us at first sighting. God does this for all mankind, for all womankind, for all humankind.
Start your approach. God will take care of the docking.
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PHOTO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gm09IPlQPU
Info on the NASA/SpaceX collaboration:
More about docking with the International Space Station:
https://www.howitworksdaily.com/docking-with-the-iss/
The SpaceX ISS Docking:
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There is no Lectionary Breakfast the Friday after Thanksgiving.
We resume the first Friday in December. You are welcome to join us at DaySpring’s Friday morning Lectionary Breakfast. We gather at 8:00 on Zoom and at Our Breakfast Place for an hour of great fellowship. We eat, we read and discuss scripture, and we laugh—truly an hour like no other.
Blessings,
Steve
**Contact me for the Zoom link:
NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera and the microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.
SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK
Find them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=170
Print them from here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/pdf//Ax_ReignofChristProper29.pdf
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Psalm 100
Psalm 95:1-7a
Ephesians 1:15-23
Matthew 25:31-46
REIGN OF CHRIST (November 26, 2023)
26th Sunday after Pentecost—Proper 29 (34)
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