To infinity and beyond

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. -Joshua 1:9 (NASB)

In the Disney/Pixar Toy Story movies, one of the main characters, a toy Space Ranger named Buzz Lightyear, famously proclaims, “To infinity…and beyond!”…often before attempting a seemingly impossible feat.

Infinity in the finite

In the Toy Story movies, toys live their own lives when their owner isn’t around, and they make use of all the everyday things in their environment we don’t think twice about. The parallel we can draw is that every day–every moment–is an adventure right under our noses, if only we stop ignoring what we think is mundane. Our daily mission is the execution of Jesus’ Great Commission, to make Him known to the ends of the earth (Matt. 28:16-20).

We do that by proclaiming Him through our actions and words, in every little detail of our lives—public and private. In our good and painful relationships, parenting, workplace, out shopping, and so on. In our waiting and sorrow, excitement and celebration. How?

In how we empty ourselves daily, or maybe even hourly, to let Him fill us to overflowing with grace, strength, and mercy we don’t have so we can face life’s challenges. When we do that, He makes us better than we ever were alone…and there’s a chance others may see Him in us.

In this world and the next, it is through Christ who gives us strength (Phil. 4:13) to venture to infinity…and beyond.

Today’s soundtrack

MercyMe’s “Grace Got You” describes how lives lived for God can make Him known to unbelievers around us.