Always Shining

Published: March 15, 2021, midnight

b'Waking up on rocky ground amid the wreckage, I stared at the purple sky. My body ached. The last thing I remembered was a strange force pulling my pod ship toward a crater on this moon. But the twisted panels around me could not comprise my pod. Where was it, and where was I?\\nA small, three-legged creature crossed in front of me. Using suction cups for fingers, it picked up metal objects and scattered papers.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Wait! Those are my papers\\u2026from my log book.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d The tripod scavenger ignored me. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Where is my pod ship?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nAgain, no answer. After collecting a sizable sampling of my things, it slunk into a cave. I followed the creature to my pod ship, which was being analyzed by a dozen squealing tripods. They squeaked loudly when the creature presented my papers. I turned on my universal translator.\\nOne of the tripods touched the scavenger\\u2019s head. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153You found more artifacts, but you saw no beings?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153No.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Look at the beauty of this design,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d said another, pointing to power coils near my pod\\u2019s generator. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Such inventions are mysteries to us. They imply an intelligence beyond our own. And these papers show communication. But no beings?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nThe first creature made a low tone.\\nI jumped. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153It is my pod ship. I designed and built it. I can explain how it works.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d \\nNo response. They didn\\u2019t even pause. So they could not see or hear me. How could I prove to them that I existed? At least they could see evidence of my design. \\nI touched the scavenger\\u2019s head. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I am here. I created this pod. It belongs to me.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d \\nIt stood very still. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Strangeness. I heard something, though faint.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nI touched his head again. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Listen carefully. Learn my voice. I want to help you; I can explain these mysteries, though it takes time.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nThe scavenger repeated my words.\\nAnother replied, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Too strange. You were above ground too long.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153No,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d said the scavenger. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I must listen. Our eyes, used to darkness, are dim. There are wavelengths we cannot perceive. The voice will explain mysteries if I will listen.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d \\u2022 Michelle Cochran\\n\\u2022 Today\\u2019s devotion is a science fiction allegory of Romans 1:19-20, which explains that God\\u2019s divine nature can be known through His creation. We may not see Him with our eyes, but we see His design in everything around us\\u2014how the moon affects the tides, how light travels like a wave and a particle, and even how a human heart beats. What do you see in nature that points to a Designer? \\n\\u2022 When we see that there is a Designer, it\\u2019s important that we seek out who that Designer might be. The great news is God, the Designer, has given us His Word, the Bible, to tell us the truth about Him and how we can have a right relationship with Him. The whole Bible points to Jesus\\u2014fully God and fully human\\u2014who is the only Savior from the sin that separates us from God. To learn more about the Creator who loves us, check out our \\u201cKnow Jesus\\u201d page.\\nThey know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities\\u2014his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Romans 1:19-20 (NLT)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nPsalm 139:7-10; Romans 8:38-39; Hebrews 13:5'