I have some friends who live in Bermuda. They tell me they enjoy coming to the States because they get Island Fever. Bermuda is a small place; everyone knows everyone and they need more space. Many of us non-Bermudians can appreciate their need because we sometimes suffer from Planet Fever. When I was a small boy the world was very big. The places pictured in National Geographic magazines were far away. Something strange has occurred. As I grew bigger the world grew smaller. I remember being concerned about the exhaust coming out the back of our car. My father assured me the world was so big that exhaust didn’t matter. I wonder what he would say today in light of global warming?
Pictures of earth from space craft have reinforced the reality of how very small and fragile we are. A volcano in the South Pacific can affect the temperature in New England. Flu starts in a small Chinese village and children in New York City become ill. This weekend I was in the forest looking for a geocache and the GPS/phone in my hand started to vibrate. It was my son in California calling. He doesn’t seem so far away because we see him whenever we want by turning on the computer video cam.
When I read that God so loved the world that He gave us His only son it becomes very personal. We are the world. A few years ago I was flying over New Mexico and saw a house in the middle of nowhere. I was intrigued because I didn’t see any road to the house. Turning back I circled to get a better look and sure enough the only way in and out was a helipad by the swimming pool. Someone had a personal sanctuary. They had their own space on our tiny planet. Perhaps someday in God’s vast universe each of us will have our own planet. Why not? God’s place is huge.
Written by Roger Bothwell on August 26, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org