Not long ago there was a Netflix movie called “Don’t Look Up”. An apocalypse based movie, such topics as scorn for main stream media and the immediacy of climate change are addressed. The final scenes see an ex-evangelical young man pray a surprisingly honest prayer – whether this was a nod to God or a real entreaty is debated.
The idea for “don’t look up” comes as a space object is about to hit earth. People can see and feel this is going to happen. One of the leaders of the “don’t worry” group tell a large gathering of people to not look up (implication: you might find out what’s going on).
This movie has triggered some of my own thoughts on looking up.
I’d like to propose a further thought on “looking up”. The Christian Scriptures talk about looking up to mountains, sun, and moon, the skies above is futile. At least as far as saving ourselves. I imagine if we were to bring this into contemporary writing we would be told to not expect salvation from climate change or other current maladies by trusting in our mere efforts, or the efforts of a combined global system of remedial action, or even from being spiritual and calling on some ethereal being.
Rather, the scriptures talk about looking up to the creator of heaven and earth – the beyond creation. And when it comes to knowing that creator we are reminded that God is here in our midst (I like to say that God mingles amongst us) and God has not been silent (witness the presence of Jesus as God in flesh).
I’m trying to take that physical action of looking up into account as I get up in the morning.
I can see power poles, and steam from furnaces. I can see airplane trails and clouds and heavenly objects. I push to look further, beyond what my eyes can see. I’m looking up to remind myself that God is in control. What I see when I look down at the world around me is not a surprise to the one I look up to.
Some days I just need a reminder!