GO DOWN IN THE OCEAN TO LEARN
Last month, a research team from Arizona State University (ASU) traveled deep into the Pacific Ocean to the Juan de Fuca Ridge, off the coast of Washington, to study hydrothermal vents. “We know more about the surface of the moon,” said ASU researcher Carolynn Harris, “than we know about the bottom of the ocean on our own planet.” The crew boarded a vessel that is equipped to operate the Alvin deep-sea submersible. They descended to the ocean floor to study nitrogen cycling and microbial life. The crew also conducted live Zoom sessions with a middle-school classroom in faraway Phoenix, Arizona. “A lot of these kids have never had interaction with anything outside of their immediate area,” science teacher Jim Hess said. “This shows them the world is bigger—and that they can be part of it.”

GO UP THE MOUNTAIN TO LEARN
Today’s reading is for “the last days,” when God’s temple high up in Jerusalem becomes center to all the world. All people will come up to worship Yahweh as Lord of the earth. They will want to learn God’s ways. Centuries later, Paul says that God is Creator and Father for all, and He is the one in sovereign control of the nations. God is near to all people, and God wants all people to come to Him.

Questions

• What’s something interesting about the ocean?
• When have you traveled a long distance in order to learn?
• How have you seen people from all over the world coming to worship God?