an unexpected lesson....from Star Trek

My husband is going to love this. He is a big star trek fan. I was walking by the T.V. during one of the "Star Trek Deep Space Nine "episodes earlier. Captain Sisko is in charge of a space station that is the hub of many different alien species. One of the alien species, the bajoran, are a religious people that believe there are a group of "prophets" that watch over them and determine what happens to them. As Captain Sisko takes the position of captain of this station, they begin to believe he is someone very important for their faith, calling him "the emissary" a sort of messiah figure for Bajor. He struggles with this role throughout the series, first dismissing it as someone's superstitious religious ideas, then eager to relinquish the job to someone else, then being confronted by the prophets themselves and struggling to embrace the calling upon his life. There are some who "believe" in him the whole time regardless of what he thinks, one being his First Officer and friend, Major Kira, a Bajoran. I have a point, I promise.

So, in the scene I saw for about 5 seconds which I am basing this entire blog on, ahem, there was a potential replacement for his emissary role, a Bajoran that appeared to be perfect for the job, giving Sisko an out. When asked by a friend how he felt about it all he said, "Great! I feel like I am on vacation!" He wouldn't have to deal with being some great messiah figure that everyone looked to for guidance, for leadership, even protection. Being captain was enough!  He felt. I didn't ask to be anyone's emissary!

Here's where it all comes together....wait for it. God has created each of us for some great purpose, the gifts he has given us, the circumstances we have grown up in or live in now, somehow it is all forming us to be this great person he has ordained us to be since the beginning of time. But, it's part of our fallen nature, we don't WANT to be great. We are perfectly happy being, mediocre. What we don't realize is, as painful as the process may be, becoming all that we were created for will be the most fulfilling and exciting experience of our life. When Sisko said, " I feel like I am on vacation!" I could relate. There are times I want to take a vacation from growing and stretching myself just a little bit more than before. But then something entices me, somehow I know that what is around the bend, is so much greater than anything I have ever seen in a movie or listened to in a song. Because, it is full of the infinite, a world where the impossible doesn't exist. So I guess what I am wondering is, are you on vacation? from who God has called you to be? Something to think about, as the new year comes in. It's what I am thinking of anyway. Happy New Year Everyone.