“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
– Genesis 22:12
There’s a scene in 2009’s Star Trek movie reboot where Captain Kirk — then a brash Star Fleet Academy cadet — had to complete a computer-simulation exercise called the Kobayashi Maru Test. Designed by Mr. Spock, this intense exam placed Kirk in a no-win scenario as a starship commander facing the overwhelming force of aggressive Klingon warbirds.
Kirk remained calm as the Klingons opened fire. He even munched on an apple from the comfort of the captain’s chair — all while his exasperated crew wondered aloud if their leader would respond to the barrage. Star Fleet Academy observers also questioned if the cocky cadet took the exercise seriously. But just as the protective shields of Kirk’s vessel were about to fail, the Klingon attack ground to a halt. Then thanks to a few well-aimed photon torpedoes, the enemy spacecraft were quickly destroyed.
The Kobayashi Maru Test was designed to gauge Kirk’s response to impending defeat against tremendous odds. But since he had reprogrammed the simulation and re-written its conclusion, he could remain confident amidst circumstances that no previous cadet had overcome.
“I don’t believe in no-win scenarios,” Kirk explained. And why should he? After all, he already knew the story’s outcome.
Maybe our world isn’t under attack from a squadron of Klingon warbirds. But a quick check of the news headlines reveals considerable turmoil in our midst. Thank God (literally) that we don’t have to rely on our own cleverness to overcome it. The good news is that our Creator is in control of the situation. His Word (the Bible) explains that he knew the outcome before the world was even formed. What’s more, he recognized long ago that you and I would need a perfect Savior to deliver us from the consequences of our misdirected lives.
As with Star Trek’s Kobayashi Maru Test, the timing had to be perfect. And so it was. Centuries after the Old Testament had promised his arrival, Jesus was born in an obscure village called Bethlehem — exactly as predicted. Later, Christ fulfilled dozens more prophesies through his remarkable words and deeds. The odds of that happening by chance are astronomical.
How does this relate to Christ’s’ modern-day followers like you and me?
The takeaway is that when the world seems to be crumbling around us, God’s plans are always trustworthy and on schedule … even when we don’t understand what’s happening. We can’t see things through our Creator’s perspective. But since he wrote our life’s first chapter, last chapter, and everything in between, we can be confident that he already knows our story’s conclusion.
It’s our faith in God’s timing and provision that builds our strength for the trials we’ll face. And let’s not be deceived: our faith in Him WILL undergo testing. But rest assured, God will always provide for us when we trust Him completely.
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