We Are Not Alone!

qaSpa' the Qunpu', jIH DichDaq bom praises Daq SoH.
Before the gods, I will sing praises to you. Psalm 138:1b

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We are not alone. That is the promise of Scripture, as well as the conclusion of at least some of the scientists who conduct the search for life beyond our planet. Granted these conclusions are from vastly different realms, but together they provide a comfort, as well as a challenge to believers.

qaSpa' the Qunpu', jIH DichDaq bom praises Daq SoH.
Before the gods, I will sing praises to you. Psalm 138:1b

This psalm protrays us as NOT ALONE, as it considers our praise "qaSpa' the Qunpu'" "before the gods." The word here for gods, is the Hebrew elohim - a plural form that USUALLY is translated as "God" - that is, the almighty. But in some passages (we saw this recently in Psalm 8) context leads it to be translated as "gods". The Life Application Bible notes:

"Before the gods" may mean in the presence of subordinate heavenly beings (angels), or, more likely, it may be a statement ridiculing the kings or gods of the pagan nations. God is supreme in the whole earth.

I should note that The Klingon word used here is Qunpu' - the plural for Qun, the Klingon word for a god or deity. This is not the word we usually use (joH'a') to indicate the one Almighty - that's partly a historical accident, since joH'a' had come into wide usage before there was a known term, Qun, in Klingon for deities. As I've used it, Qun, is a generic, small "g" god - joH'a' is the one supreme god - the great Lord over all.

qaSpa' the Qunpu', jIH DichDaq bom praises Daq SoH.
Before the gods, I will sing praises to you. Psalm 138:1b

This means we need to realize that, even we pray and praise God by ourselves - we are NOT alone. Our relationship to God is never a solitary one. As we live out our life of faith we are witnesses before the world, before angels and humans, and perhaps even before extraterrestrials - we are never truly alone.

In addition, we have promises of Divine presence as well, and there, the realization we are not alone can be a comfort. We do well to reflect on God's promises of his abiding presence. From God's words in Genesis to Jacob yIlegh, jIH 'oH tlhej SoH / "Behold, I am with you to Christ's in Revelation yIlegh" jIH Qam Daq the lojmIt je knock / Behold, I stand at the door and knock." This is a great comfort, and such words are good resouces to commit to memory - I've found such words are a powerful reminder, a joy to reflect on in dark moments.

But what OF the scientists who claim 'we are not alone?' There is a wide range of opinion on whether we will find aliens as we explore the heavens. Estimating the probabilities and recognizing the vast distances make it clear that ascertaining whether or where there are aliens is a difficult task.

There is, in fact, a formula, called the Drake Equation, after its author, Frank Drake. Plugging in a number of variables and estimates allows us to calculculate the number of alien civilizations that might exist. It is an interesting way to consider the problem - I've even written a program to run the calculations. So far, most of the input is highly speculative, leading to a wide spectrum of opinion - from NO other races, to a sky riddled with star empires.

This may not be a comfort - some may imagine the notion - if ever proved - would diminish our place in creation. I don't agree - any more than finding one more unknown people group reduces the significance of humanity.

As much as I'd be delighted with our finally exchanging greetings with others in the cosmos - it wouldn't change what we already know - we AREN'T alone. Scripture already makes clear that we stand NOW before God, before angels and all of creation. It is in such company that we are called to worship, to praise, to delight and give thanks for all God has done.

qaSpa' the Qunpu', jIH DichDaq bom praises Daq SoH.
Before the gods, I will sing praises to you. Psalm 138:1b

Whole Hearted!

jIH DichDaq nob SoH tlho' tlhej wIj Hoch tIq. qaSpa' the Qunpu', jIH DichDaq bom praises Daq SoH.

I will give you thanks with my whole heart. Before the gods, I will sing praises to you. Psalm 138:1

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Have you heard of a disorder called "Continuous Partial Attention?" This is a term coined by technologist Linda Stone to describe the way we are SO wired and connected that we wind up with "two people doing six things, devoting only partial attention to each one." It's supposed to be a new problem, and I can see why it seems particularly modern, as I head off to my daily bus commute with an iPod, pager, cell phone and more. But I wonder - I suspect (as is often the case) the gloss of new bells and whistles makes us blind to the fact the it isn't such a new problem.

Two thousand years ago, the apostle James warned believers about this,

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. For let that man not think that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:5-8

It should be no surprise (at least if you've read the Bible's words "there is nothing new under the sun") that double-minded-ness is hardly a new problem. It may be assisted by technology, but the root of the problem is a failure to attend to what matters. When we let ourselves drift from one thing to another (and I know this problem from personal experience - I'm preaching to myself perhaps more than anyone here), we are as James says "like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed."

While James addresses this problem from the negative side, the psalmist here gives us a positive example, and directs our attention to something that can unite our hearts: nobtaH tlhob - giving thanks:

jIH DichDaq nob SoH tlho' tlhej wIj Hoch tIq. qaSpa' the Qunpu', jIH DichDaq bom praises Daq SoH.

I will give you thanks with my whole heart. Before the gods, I will sing praises to you. Psalm 138:1

For another name for "double-minded" is to be "half-hearted." The psalm gives us an example of a far more fruitful path, to be WHOLE-hearted, to give our all.. and to what? To thanks!

On the sector of the planet where I live, this is a time for a special holiday - Thanksgiving - which is not tied to any one faith, but united in the simple task of giving thanks. Not limited to only for those who have plenty, but also, we WITH plenty are urged and given opportunities to dig down deep and give to the less fortunate, in order to give them something for which to BE thankful.

David Fagerberg wrote: "The test of all happiness is gratitude," [GK] Chesterton wrote, and many of us have flunked that test. "Children are grateful when Santa Claus puts in their stockings gifts of toys or sweets. Could I not be grateful to Santa Claus when he put in my stockings the gift of two miraculous legs?" We feel no wonder at ordinary things; it is no wonder that ordinary things disappoint us. (FT March 2000: The Essential Chesterton, http://www.firstthings.com/ftissues/ft0003/opinion/fagerberg.html)

Are you as easily distracted as I am? Between books and podcasts and news - my attention is so easily driven to and fro, so that my Hoch tIq - my whole heart - is divided down to dust. I need to find a focus, and complete attention, to give thanks.

Let us all pray we find our hearts united in thanks, thanks to the great God who so freely blesses and shares love with everyone.

HaDIbaH!

Hoch Suy' je cattle, HIja', je the Ha'DIbaH vo' the yotlh, the toQmey vo' the sky, the fish vo' the biQ'a', je whatever passes vegh the Hemey vo' the seas

All sheep and oxen, yes, and the animals of the field, the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea, and whatever passes through the paths of the seas. Psalm 8:7-8

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Someday, somewhere out in the galaxy, perhaps human explorers will be faced with a whole new zoology - never-seen-before creatures for which they just won't have names. Should there be sentient natives, perhaps they'll need to ask what they're called. Otherwise, like Adam, they'll need to come up with names.

This is a problem here on planet Earth as well. Translating the Bible into English (or Klingon) we need to know the correct word that maps to the animal being described. Here at the end of Psalm 8, David lists a catalog of all the creatures over which humans have dominion - and you'll see my KLV only had terms for a few of the English words. Our knowledge of Klingon is still limited.

But worrying about being sure that tsone' (Hebrew for sheep) was something like a Klingon "Suy'", or the Klingon "toQmey" for birds was the same as Hebrew tsippowr, is missing the point. David is not giving us a precise catalog, anymore than suggesting God has fingers and hands in the earlier verses. Instead he is giving an example of the extent of creation that we are charged with tending.

It was interesting to note in several commentaries that the authors felt the book of James refers obliquely to this list of animals when he says:

vaD Hoch kind vo' animal, toQ, creeping Doch, je Doch Daq the biQ'a', ghaH tamed, je ghajtaH taH tamed Sum mankind.

For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and thing in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind. James 3:7

after which he concludes:

but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8 NLT

Nature is vast, and we humans have found ourselves charged with its care. Yet for all the power we exercise over nature - James is right to see that the limit of this power is not on the outside - but within our hearts. We can indeed tame all manner of beasts, and someday we may travel out deep into space, to other stars, but whatever we can do out there, we need to find the help first to command the power of our tongue and words.

James offers advice in that direction, too:

If you are wise and understand God's ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don't brag about the good you do, then you will be truly wise! James 3:13 NLT

Having the words to name all creatures may be good, and it is important that our care and taming of beasts is an important part of our place in God's plan. But true mastery, and truly living out that plan requires we turn to Him for wisdom, and the power to live according to God's word. And don't worry, he wants to give you that power:

'ach chugh vay' vo' SoH lacks valtaHghach, chaw' ghaH tlhob vo' joH'a', 'Iv nob Daq Hoch liberally je Hutlh reproach; je 'oH DichDaq taH nobpu' Daq ghaH.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him. James 1:5

Hands and Feet!

SoH chenmoH ghaH ruler Dung the vum vo' lIj ghopDu'. SoH ghaj lan Hoch Dochmey bIng Daj qamDu'

You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet Psalm 8:6

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I think there's an interesting contrast here in this verse that names two parts of the body. The first is hand - yad, in Hebrew, or ghop in Klingon. The hand is symbolic of much, in this case the creative power of the Almighty, much as the word "finger" was used earlier. It is a reminder that God acts in creation, deliberately, like an artist or craftsman.

The second is the word foot - regel in Hebrew, and qam in Klingon. The foot can refer to much, from the power of movement, to (as it is here) the complete dominion over another, particularly an adversary.

It would be easy to read these words as a transfer of power - a hand-off if you will. The work of God's hands (vum vo' lIj ghopDu') is placed beneath humanity's feet ( Hoch Dochmey bIng Daj qamDu'). That is part of the story - but not the whole.

I think we need to be careful when we consider this - particularly if we're thinking in a militarisitic, overly-Klingon fashion. From ancient times the image of triumph over an enemy included the victor standing with a foot on the neck of the vanguished - a practice we even see mentioned in the book of Joshua.

Better than seeing nature as conquered, I like one writer's [Spurgeon] comment "The proper place for all worldly things, [is] under his feet," that is, we are not tempted to worship nature.

The problem arises if this dominion over creation becomes a justification for carte blanche consumption - as if we are free to use, and misuse the bounties of nature. More than one writer has happily blamed ecological disasters on believers misuse of nature, suggesting "superior, contemptuous" attitudes that make them "willing to use it [the earth] for our slightest whim." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_White)

That's why we need to understand that our relationship to creation should instead be one of stewardship - taking God's gifts and using them well - but not wasting them, as Peter notes in the Bible:

According as each has received a gift, be ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the grace of God in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

It's worth remembering Jesus's words in John 3:16, that begin - "For God so loved the world...." That "world" is the Greek world Kosmos, creation - not just people, but the whole of what God has created. If this is so, and as this Psalm says, it has been given into our care, we should TAKE care to tend it well, not simply use up.

SoH chenmoH ghaH ruler Dung the vum vo' lIj ghopDu'. SoH ghaj lan Hoch Dochmey bIng Daj qamDu'

You make him ruler over the works of your hands. You have put all things under his feet Psalm 8:6

This world before us is rich, and beautiful - and it's been given to us mere humans to manage with care. Let's strive to hear the words "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."