The Bay Area, NASA and God

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , | Posted On Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 10:21 AM

Do you ever wonder if God has it out for you? I know it feels that way sometimes. And over the last couple of years it's felt that way for our Bay Area. The Rita evacuation was hard on a lot of folks. Then Ike hit, doing major damage across our area. The economy tanked, and the oil industry is struggling. Now, the 2011 national budget comes out, and NASA, and especially manned space flight, appear to be facing another blow.

Of course, no one really knows what the 2011 budget means for the Bay Area. It hasn't gone through Congress yet, and states like Florida, Alabama and Texas have a lot at stake with the manned space program. But all this week discussions that were going on quietly across the area the last few months since the Augustine Commission have been coming out into the open as people wonder/worry about what will happen.

It's a legitimate concern. I don't work for the Chamber of Commerce, so I don't have the exact figures, but I know thousands of folks in this area are directly and indirectly affected by NASA and the Johnson Manned Space Center. I'm sure we have hundreds of folks here at Gateway connected to the space program one way or another.

I'd like to tell you, "Don't worry. Be happy... Everything's going to be OK because God's going to do His thing and make it all work out so that we all live happily ever after." But, honestly, that's more of a fairy tale. God is not our magic Genie who snaps His fingers and fixes every problem we have.

The reality is, we don't know what's going to happen right now. We don't know what it's going to be like a year from now or five years from now or ten years from now. But you know what? We didn't know before this budget came out, either. The future is always waiting to be written, and the choices we make today make a big difference how that story will unfold. But, I do know Who is ultimately writing the future, because He is already there and going with us into as it unfolds.

I'm not saying we shouldn't be concerned or that we shouldn't be prudent in our planning. As a church, Gateway will have to watch this very closely. But I keep getting drawn back to a Scripture Jesus spoke:

“'That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don’t worry about these things, saying, "What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?" These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.'" (Matthew 6:25-33, NLT2)


To me, this isn't a "Pollyanna - don't worry, be happy" scripture. What it says to me is that in the midst of whatever is going on - good or bad - God still cares about each of us and our lives. He has a plan for our lives that has ultimate and eternal significance. He's always known what would happen - there are no surprises for God. He never promises a problem-free life, but He does promise to go with us and give us everything we need to live our lives with purpose and hope and peace.


It's an old cliche, but I'll say it anyway: "I don't know what the future holds, but I know Who holds it." My ultimate faith isn't in my job or NASA or the U.S. government but in God. Even when I don't feel it, He's with me and loves me and will see me through. That's a choice I have to make and remember every day. I'm going to seek first His Kingdom and trust Him to walk through this with me. I hope you'll join me!