Where is your imagination going?

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -
think about such things (Philippians 4:8)

I recently went to a Sci-Fi exhibition at the Science Museum, which was a celebration of Sci-Fi films, including costumes and props from films like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Marvel. It was really good fun, but as ever, the Science Museum had very cleverly put alongside these props stories of how things that were dreamed up in Sci-Fi books and films had become real scientific inventions. The technology we use in our bodies, like pacemakers, was originally dreamed up in stories with robots and cyborgs; and space trips to the moon were first imagined in fiction before they became a reality.
 
Our imaginations are such a gift. New inventions always start off as an idea that is imagined before it can become a reality. But how do we use our imaginations? We might not all be inventors, dreaming up new technology to listen out for aliens in space, but we all use our imaginations every day in small and big ways. Perhaps we imagine what flavour of ice cream our friend might enjoy most. Perhaps we imagine how a conversation will go with a family member we’ve fallen out with. Perhaps we imagine what the world would look like if there wasn’t hunger.
 
Imagination is the start of action. So where is our imagination going? In Philippians 4:8 we are reminded to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable. If our imaginations are centred on these things, then just imagine what Good and Godly action might be possible!
 
Lord God, thank you that you have given us the gift of imagination. Lord, we pray that you would help us to imagine the world as you long for it to be.

Photo by SpaceX on Unsplash