Free-falling for MILES through a volcanic tube. Careening wildly down an abandoned mining railway. Battling enormous Venus flytrap-like, carnivorous plants. Dodging a heat-crazed gigantosaurs. Intentionally igniting magnesium to create a geyser to blow yourself out of Mt. Vesuvius before it erupts. These and other intense scenes were part of our delightful perusal of a family action video based on Jules Vernesʼ novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth. Perhaps itʼs my fault. After all, I decided that we would study dinosaurs that year in science. I knew
Christopher and Jonathan liked dinosaurs - how many times have we watched Jurrasic Park? Ron only aids and abets their dinosaur interests. (He says that there isnʼt a chic flick that canʼt be redeemed by adding a few
meat-eating dinosaurs.) I asked Ron how many movies weʼve watched with dinosaurs in them. His response?
Every one that we could find. We have definitely experienced a few wild imaginations.
As mind-blowing as some of these movie scenes have been, they cannot hold a candle to the unbelievable reality weʼve seen in Godʼs creation in another set of DVDs: The Wonders of Creation. Christopher watched the segment on the dispersion of seeds and immediately wanted to watch it again. Then he played it again so he could take notes. He wants to get some of those plants! The amazing things of Godʼs creation give us a mere glimpse into the awesomely creative imagination of the One who made us. But thatʼs only what we expected, isnʼt it? Those movie creators had to get their abilities and inspiration from somewhere! It all goes back to God.
All of this brings to mind the verse in 1 Corinthians 2:9: “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the hearts
of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him - these things God has revealed to us through the
Spirit.” We who have Godʼs Spirit have a glimpse into the wonders God has already prepared for us in His
kingdom. But that place and those wonders have not even been touched on by those who donʼt know God. They cannot even imagine. I can. I imagine a place where “ . . .death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore . . .” (Revelation 21:4). This will be a place where “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat . . . The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adderʼs den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain;” (Isaiah 11:6-9). We wonʼt need the sun or the moon anymore: “for the Lord God will be their light” (Revelation 22:5). We will see God “face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12), and “ˆwe will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Thatʼs the hope we have, the treasure that awaits us, the knowledge to which we cling. Your life may feel like that underground roller coaster where the light is dim and yet you are careening wildly out of control towards unknown catastrophe. Perhaps itʼs worse than that. Perhaps you feel like youʼre in free-fall - looking at your loved ones and screaming, “Weʼre still falling!” You know when you hit bottom, itʼs going to be bad. Perhaps the flesh-eating dinosaur of disease and age is one step behind you, hungrily eying your body as its next meal. Perhaps the present and coming persecution causes you despair and discouragement. Take heart. Paul says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17- 18). Read between the lines here! Paul isnʼt saying that what youʼre enduring isnʼt hard. He isnʼt saying that youʼre not suffering greatly. But he is comparing this life and the vale of tears through which we tromp as insignificant in relation to what God has prepared for those who love Him. So hold onto that hope. Thereʼs light at the end of the tunnel. Youʼre going to get out of this life one way or the other. Then, waiting for you, is your loving heavenly Father who greets you with open arms because youʼve been walking with your Older
Brother, Jesus Christ. So, stay in Christ. Fight the good fight. Press toward the prize. Itʼll be worth it.
As for me, weʼre not going to study dinosaurs next year. I think maybe weʼll study something a LOT less innocuous!
Christopher and Jonathan liked dinosaurs - how many times have we watched Jurrasic Park? Ron only aids and abets their dinosaur interests. (He says that there isnʼt a chic flick that canʼt be redeemed by adding a few
meat-eating dinosaurs.) I asked Ron how many movies weʼve watched with dinosaurs in them. His response?
Every one that we could find. We have definitely experienced a few wild imaginations.
As mind-blowing as some of these movie scenes have been, they cannot hold a candle to the unbelievable reality weʼve seen in Godʼs creation in another set of DVDs: The Wonders of Creation. Christopher watched the segment on the dispersion of seeds and immediately wanted to watch it again. Then he played it again so he could take notes. He wants to get some of those plants! The amazing things of Godʼs creation give us a mere glimpse into the awesomely creative imagination of the One who made us. But thatʼs only what we expected, isnʼt it? Those movie creators had to get their abilities and inspiration from somewhere! It all goes back to God.
All of this brings to mind the verse in 1 Corinthians 2:9: “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the hearts
of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him - these things God has revealed to us through the
Spirit.” We who have Godʼs Spirit have a glimpse into the wonders God has already prepared for us in His
kingdom. But that place and those wonders have not even been touched on by those who donʼt know God. They cannot even imagine. I can. I imagine a place where “ . . .death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore . . .” (Revelation 21:4). This will be a place where “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat . . . The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adderʼs den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain;” (Isaiah 11:6-9). We wonʼt need the sun or the moon anymore: “for the Lord God will be their light” (Revelation 22:5). We will see God “face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12), and “ˆwe will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
Thatʼs the hope we have, the treasure that awaits us, the knowledge to which we cling. Your life may feel like that underground roller coaster where the light is dim and yet you are careening wildly out of control towards unknown catastrophe. Perhaps itʼs worse than that. Perhaps you feel like youʼre in free-fall - looking at your loved ones and screaming, “Weʼre still falling!” You know when you hit bottom, itʼs going to be bad. Perhaps the flesh-eating dinosaur of disease and age is one step behind you, hungrily eying your body as its next meal. Perhaps the present and coming persecution causes you despair and discouragement. Take heart. Paul says, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17- 18). Read between the lines here! Paul isnʼt saying that what youʼre enduring isnʼt hard. He isnʼt saying that youʼre not suffering greatly. But he is comparing this life and the vale of tears through which we tromp as insignificant in relation to what God has prepared for those who love Him. So hold onto that hope. Thereʼs light at the end of the tunnel. Youʼre going to get out of this life one way or the other. Then, waiting for you, is your loving heavenly Father who greets you with open arms because youʼve been walking with your Older
Brother, Jesus Christ. So, stay in Christ. Fight the good fight. Press toward the prize. Itʼll be worth it.
As for me, weʼre not going to study dinosaurs next year. I think maybe weʼll study something a LOT less innocuous!
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