Daily Prayer Reflection: Are we seeking to become like gods, or belong to God?

A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Quiet! Be still!" The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?" They were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?" Mark 4:37-41

For centuries, there seems to have been a struggle between science and religion, one battling with the other, when in reality, they truly flow together if seen in the right perspective. Science flows from God as God is the Creator of all things, and God's wonderful artistry and imagination can be seen more clearly through the lens of science...if we keep it all in perspective.

In today's day and age, we are more and more inclined to try to control creation. Genetic engineering, weather manipulation, element creation...I can't help but wonder, are we trying to take over the role of God? It is the age-old temptation since the beginning of humanity - the serpent continues to whisper in our ears...you can BE like God...when the truth is rather that we can never be God as we are His creation, not His equal. We belong to God.

Through the example of Christ, we are asked to "be like" God, but not in the sense that we can "be God" - we are asked to put on Christ, to love as God loves, to humble ourselves as God did in taking on human form, to live and die with us. When the serpent whispers in our ears, tempting us to think we can become gods ourselves in this life, let us hope that the Holy Spirit answers back reminding us that we possess something greater than that temptation - the promise to live with God in all His glory by no merit of our own, but rather through the sacrifice, love and mercy of Jesus Christ.


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