A Haunting Postcard
This Week's Theme: Life in Perspective
Stephen M. Miller
Tuesday, January 2, 2001
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Key Bible Verse: God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:21, nLT).
Bonus Reading:1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Near his shaving mirror, astronomer Carl Sagan kept a framed postcard. On the back was penciled a message to James Day of Swansea Valley, Wales:
Dear Friend, Just a line to show that I am alive & kicking and going grand. It's a treat. Yours, WJR.
The initials were of William John Rogers. On the front was a photo of a sleek, four-stack steamer captioned "White Star Liner Titanic." The postmark was stamped the day before the ship went down, claiming more than 1,500 lives, including that of Rogers. "I display the postcard for a reason," Sagan wrote. "We know that 'going grand' can be the most temporary and illusory state."
Sagan's keen awareness that human life is fleeting is worthy of emulation. But at age 62, in 1996, Sagan died without hope after a two-year battle with bone marrow cancer. Earlier, he wrote, "I would love to believe that when I die I will live again. But
it is
wishful thinking." He then quoted Albert Einstein: "I am satisfied with
striving to comprehend a portion
of the Reason that manifests itself in nature."
Stephen M. Miller in Present Moments Respond:
How could such great minds not perceive the intelligence behind the Reason?
Thought to Apply:
The idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else.
Ernest Becker (author)Adapted from Present Moments (Servant, 1999).
NOTE: For your convenience, Present Moments is available in the ChristianityToday.com Shopping Channel. 1 of 1
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Father, I praise you for your victory over death. Jesus, thank you for making life possible for me through your death.
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