(#9) I'm thankful for the latest visceral threat

"Artificial intelligence is mankind's biggest threat," according to Elon Musk. Stephen Hawking similarly would have us deeply troubled by the rapid development of A.I. Vladimir Putin fears the robots will "eat" us.

It's scary for the average person with limited resources to hear that even billionaires and geniuses are afraid of something. They have the world at their fingertips and they are nervous? I don't stand a chance... The same thing happened during the Cold War, M.A.D., every backyard had a bunker.

The truth is, atomic bombs really could have destroyed huge swaths of the United States in the 60s. A.I. really could do bad things to us today, likely before we even realize it. This world is not safe. There are terrible things happening right now, all over the earth.

Maybe the worst part is recognizing our complete powerlessness. We can prepare for some things, but time and chance overtake us all, even billionaires and geniuses. No matter how many scary articles you read on Drudge Report, you won't be able to stop a nuclear war with North Korea or A.I. manipulating things you don't want touched.

But we can actually be grateful for these things because they force us to place all our hope and trust in God. Whoever desires to save his life shall lose it. There never had been security in this world, not since our banishment from Eden. I'm thankful to be reminded of it. I'm thankful that God is a mighty fortress to which the righteous can repair and in which they fear no evil from without. I'm thankful that important people are afraid because it reminds all of us that money isn't everything and intelligence will only get you so far and human power is not enough against the wiles of the devil. Only our God is great enough for that.

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