C'mon You know you love them

I have a confession to make, I am a closet Trekkie. It’s true. I found it difficult to grow up in the house of a die hard Star Trek fan and not have it rub off. I remember the days when Saturday evenings were special around my house because I got to stay up late to watch Star Trek the Next Generation with my dad.

Well this past week I quietly rented one of the Star Trek movies for old times’ sake As I watched the USS Enterprise encounter countless peril a thought suddenly flashed into my mind. I had the solution to one of the most basic challenges that Captains of the USS Enterprise have been trying to solve for the past 43 years (see I told you I was a Trekkie!). The solution….SEAT BELTS!

No really, Seat belts. Don’t believe me? Go rent a Star Trek film. The USS Enterprise does not have any seat belts on the bridge. This is kind of ironic when you consider the number of photon torpedoes that exploded against that hull over the decades. Just think how many crew members could have been saved on the bridge.

Wondering where I’m going with this? While Star Trek is complete fiction we can learn a real life lesson from this show. Don’t forgo the fundamentals for fancier stuff.

The Word of God tells us that we are engaged in spiritual warfare while on earth. Following Jesus Christ and, at times, lead us into very challenging situations. We are likely to get shot at when we stand for Biblical principles. We might even receive a direct hit from time to time. How can we prepare to deal with these kinds of difficulties? Prayer.

Prayer is one of the best buffers to the dangers we face in this world. It serves very much like a seat belt. Seat belts, when working properly, keep us safe with very little notice. Yet the moment an urgent situation arises it snaps into action and you will most certainly feel the effects. A seat belt holds you back even though you might be completely unaware of dangers impact. Regular prayer keeps us connected with God.  And as long as things are status quo life goes on much as it always does. But the moment crisis arises prayer becomes more than just communication; it becomes a life line between us and God.

You know what else seat belts and prayer have in common? Using them after the fact is of little use. You need them engaged prior to the crisis in order for them to be effective.

With all sorts of fun gadgets and gizmos aboard the space ship Enterprise it easy to think that a simple device like a seat belt would be a bit antiquated. Yet consider how many times have you found yourself watching the show where you saw someone fly through the air on the bridge. Similarly one might argue that in 2009 prayer is a bit old fashioned. Shouldn’t our response to crisis be a little more hip, trendier? The truth is prayer works. It always has. And if you really think communicating with the Creator of the Universe is passé than I think you might more of a space cadet than I am.