The night sky adjusts our perspective. Vast distance separates us from the stars we see. If we could fly at the speed of light (just shy of 670 million mph) it would take us 775 years to get to Rigel, the hot blue star that marks the lower right corner of Orion. An airliner could make the trip in 902 million years, while a Cessna 206 would take a bit longer—3.7 billion years, not counting downtime for maintenance.

On a practical basis, we can gaze, we can long, and we can wish, but we can’t cross. The good news is that while the stars may be unreachable, it turns out that they’re not untouchable. They send us a steady stream of photons that our retinas detect as light. Whether we open our eyes or not, we’re awash in a continual cascade of star stuff.

An uncrossable gulf separates us from God. On a practical basis, we can’t cross it, nor could we even if we were granted all of time. Fortunately, He takes the initiative to reach us. His presence touches everything and everyone at all times. Even if we can’t see Him, He pours Himself out on the just and the unjust. The problem is that our retinas aren’t designed to detect His Spirit. Our hearts are. A grieving hymn-writer understood when he pleaded, “Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight …”

So, how is faith opening glimpses of Heaven where you are?

Matthew 5:45, Exodus 23:20, Acts 17:27-28, John 5:37, Jeremiah 23:24

Excerpt from Call For News-Reflections of a Missionary Pilot
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