This is a nice illustration as far as it goes. But a little
research into the Biosphere reveals a few other illustrations as well. One of
the problems they encountered in the project was plant etiolation—due to lack of
light, plants grew pale, long stems in their search for light. (Picture
daffodils trying to find their way up from the bottom of a flower pot.) Lack of
chlorophyll in the plants may have contributed to insufficient oxygen levels in
the dome. The parallel for Christians is that we need regular exposure to the
Light of the World, Jesus. The light of Scripture and the Holy Spirit exposes
sin and darkness, shows us the way, and helps us to bear fruit for Christ.
Without the light we lose our way, burrowing deeper into sin instead of growing
up and out.
Another problem in the Biosphere was that trees didn’t grow
“stress wood” to keep them strong. Only when trees are exposed to wind do their
trunks strengthen to support them. Without the adversity of wind the trees grow
weak and are easily broken. Likewise, we need adversity in our lives to strengthen
our faith. If we face no difficulties, we don’t really need to trust God. The
stronger the wind, the more we realize we need His strengthening power. God
never promised peace from
the storm, but He does give peace in
the midst of the storm.
When the disciples encountered the storm while on the sea,
they feared for their lives. But Jesus was so much at peace that he could
sleep, at least until they woke Him up. It was only then that they got a
glimpse of His power and glory (Matt. 8:23-27). The disciples didn’t realize it
at the time, but they were in the safest place in the world—in the boat with
God incarnate. Though it’s natural to wish for relief and protection from the
storms, our desire should be to see God at work in the midst of the storm. (As
a side note, the popular teaching of guardian angels has always puzzled me. Why
should I need a guardian angel when I’ve got God Himself watching over me?!)
The Biosphere suffered a host of other problems as well,
most of which point to the fact that we don’t know as much about the world as
we may think. No matter how hard we try, we can’t create life and we can’t
sustain it through our own efforts. Only God has successfully done that. We
can’t even control our own lives in most respects. We had no say over our
birth, and only God knows the number of our days (Psalm 139:16). We can’t
change our height (Matt. 6:27). We didn’t even control God’s choice of us as
His children (Eph. 1:4)! So why do we keep worrying about things that are out
of our control? Why do we keep trying to tell God what to do? The following
prayer is an excerpt from A Cry
for Mercy by Henri Nouwen:
“Do I keep doubting your love and care, your mercy and
grace? Do I keep wondering, in the center of my being, whether you will give me
all I need if I just keep my eyes on you? Please accept my distractions, my
fatigue, my irritations, and my faithless wanderings. You know me more deeply
and fully than I know myself. You love me with a greater love than I can love
myself. You even offer me more than I can desire. Look at me, see me in all my
misery and inner confusion, and let me sense your presence in the midst of my
turmoil. All I can do is show myself to you. Yet, I am afraid to do so. I am
afraid that you will reject me. But I know—with the knowledge of faith—that you
desire to give me your love. The only thing you ask of me is not to hide from
you, not to run away in despair, not to act as if you were a relentless
despot.”
May we learn to live in the Light, look for Him in the
storms, and trust that He is in control in all things!
