On our drive back from Dallas to Austin, our cherished five year old son, Reuben asked my beloved wife Sangeetha and me, a question. He wanted to know if he could jump and reach the Sun that was setting beyond the horizon. This led to a discussion of how no man can reach the Sun, although man kind has reached the moon. We explained to Reuben, that those who go to outer space (like to the moon) are astronauts, while those who stay on earth and observe outer space are astronomers. It reminded me of the movie, Jurassic Park III, in which, Dr. Grant (played by Sam Neill) explains to Erik (played by Trevor Morgan), that there are only two kinds of boys, those who want to be astronomers and those who want to be astronauts. The astronomer (or the paleontologist) gets to study these amazing things from a place of complete safety, but never get to go into space.

As astronomer is a spectator, while an astronaut is a partaker. In our Christian walk as well, we can function as an astronomer or as an astronaut. Many of us (including myself), many a times, merely function as a spectator, observing the wondrous and amazing things, ordained by God, from a place of complete safety, without getting involved in the Kingdom business of snatching souls from the doorposts of hell. We function as astronomer Christians, pleased to hear of God words, instead of functioning as astronaut Christians, doing God’s work. The Bible is very clear on the need to be a doer; to be a partaker in God’s mission of reconciling man to God and restoring man back into a relationship with God. To be merely a hearer (spectator) and not a doer, is in essence, the worst kind of deception; a deception where one deceive themselves (James 1:22).

Points to ponder:
We need to be doers of God’s work, and not mere hearers of God’s words.
We need to be partakers, and not mere spectators.
We need to be astronaut Christians not mere astronomer Christians.
Are you an astronomer or an astronaut Christian?

James 1:22 (KJV)
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.