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Self Driving Cars
Joe Killian • May 19, 2016
I really want to go for a ride in Uber's new self-driving car! For those living here in Pittsburgh that reality might happen sooner than later. Here is the car driving on the North Shore with its hi-tech guidance system.
Pretty funky looking isn't it? I didn't realize that they were this far along in their development. In an article about Uber's self-driving car, Paul Sawers writes about the timing of their actual implementation:
We’re likely still some years away from seeing autonomous cars on roads in a non-test environment — there will be a long transition period, and it will probably happen gradually on a town-by-town or city-by-city basis.
Here is what John says about guidance systems in this week's Gospel.
Jesus said to his disciples: "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you." John 16:12-15
Jesus is explaining the Trinity's guidance system to His disciples. These words were spoken after the Last Supper when Jesus is preparing the disciples for His death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus knows what's coming. At that point the disciples can't fathom what's about to unfold in the coming hours. Jesus knows that His suffering has a purpose. He knows it is what His Father wants. He has the Spirit with Him. That is all Jesus needs to move ahead in the task before Him.
You and I have the same guidance system. From the beginning of creation we were designed "in the image and likeness" of the Trinity. At the same time we are always in the "development phase." In fact, gaining an understanding of the Trinity is surely a life-long process. But the best part of Our Journey With God is that They are always with us. They always have been and always will be with us! We can't know what's to come. I'm not even sure that I want to. However, our path has already been mapped out by The Guidance System. Will you trust Them enough to take your hands off the wheel of your life?
The story continues...I'm still working on the pondless waterfall in our front yard. I shared this project with you two weeks ago in Playin' In the Dirt. Since then I've had to rework sections of the stream three different times because we were losing too much water. I am now an expert on evaporation rates and excessive splash, two causes of water loss. This morning I tore the whole thing apart and I'm starting over.
Have you ever watched DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda? I stumbled across it recently and thoroughly enjoyed Jack Black's performance as a bumbling, noodle selling, kung fu enthusiast, giant panda named P o. Set in ancient China, it is more than a humorous slapstick comedy. The core message of the story jumped out at me as I have been focusing recently on the concept of being. Po is shockingly identified as the Dragon Warrior and he reluctantly enters training. The goal of the training is to receive the Dragon Scroll, which is believed to hold the secret to limitless power. Now I don't want to spoil the big reveal but I will say that what Po realizes is the same as what I speak to in the concept of being and authentic identity. So, where do we find the secret to our "power?" I praise You, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works! My very self You know. Psalm 139:14 God knows it; and we must seek Him with all of our hearts in order to find it. As it was in the movie, the answer is stunningly simple. Our authentic identity is already within us. The challenge for Po in the movie was in seeing himself accurately and not the way others saw him. Even his teacher scoffed at the idea that Po was anything more than an underachieving dreamer who overate when he was anxious. Po's problems are rooted in the fact that he believes the lie of his false identity much more than he does his authentic one. Is it possible that you do the same? Who could have imagined that beneath all of Po's girth lived the Dragon Warrior? What's hidden from view in you? Seek God for understanding as to who He created you to be. Spoiler Alert: the secret of your limitless power is already in you. God placed it there and He wants you to be who He authentically created you to be.
Maria and I have been playing in the dirt a lot recently. First we replaced our French drain and then we embarked on a creative project intended to change the entire look of our front yard. My brother Jeffrey and I installed a new front step.
