Bring Clarity, Vision, Hope and Success
“I think maybe the distance we are from you makes you think what we’re doing is special, but we’re the same distance from you. And I’m trying to tell you, just trust me, you are special…In all of this emptiness — this is a whole bunch of nothing, this thing we call the universe — you have this oasis, this beautiful place that we get to exist (in) together.” These words by Artemis II pilot Victor J. Glover about the experience on the mission to the moon also relate to the concept of alignment. He did not mention alignment specifically, but his thought unity connects to what is at the heart of alignment. It’s a simple word that has a huge impact on businesses, churches, nonprofit organizations as well as relationships.
The word alignment has numerous definitions. For instance, it can mean an arrangement of objects in a straight line, parallel to each other. It could also mean properly adjusting components. In business or psychology, it means having teams or individuals in sync on goals and perspectives. Ultimately, it means to be in agreement. When it comes to alignment, the agreement has to go beyond the surface-level. There has to be agreement on a deeper level that includes intention and methods.
For those in the business world, being in alignment means that a company can make progress. Whenever the employees of a business are aligned with the vision of the CEO, they work more effectively together and advance the business. In personal relationships, a family that is aligned can deal with conflicts with greater compassion and empathy. We know that families have disagreements. However, a family that is in alignment can work through those difficulties. Think about the differences in the experiences of families dealing with the death of a loved when the family is in alignment with honoring the deceased as opposed to one where there is infighting and tension. The funerals look very different.
Moreover, there are spiritual examples of alignment as well. One well-known spiritual leader who exemplified the challenges of alignment and who has seen a resurgence in popularity is King David. Between streaming series and stage productions, more audiences are becoming familiar David’s struggles to stay in alignment with God and remain “a man after God’s heart.” One well known example is King David’s attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to its rightful place in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6).
In doing so, David had the right desire, but the wrong method. When David went to retrieve the Ark, he placed it on a NEW cart (emphasis on New). It looked right. It felt right. It was innovative. It was efficient; however, it was out of alignment with God’s instructions. God had already established that the Ark was to be carried on the shoulders of the priest (Numbers 4:15). No carts, no shortcuts or substitutions.
Because of the misalignment, when the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark, it cost him his life. King David’s mistake wasn’t passion; it was misalignment. He wanted a God-ordained outcome, but he used his man-made method to obtain it, and it cost a man his life. However, when David returned to study the proper way to handle the Ark and to align himself with what God said, what had failed in the past now began to flourish.
Even those who are not overtly spiritual can learn much from David’s misalignment. Sometimes we can have the right intentions, the wrong methods and be out of alignment. But the beauty is that we can learn how it takes revisiting a failed alignment, like King David, that can lead to a place of perfect alignment. The Artemis II mission to the moon in April showed the benefit of perfected alignment. Advanced scientific measurements were used to pinpoint how and where the four-person crew were going to land after their 10-day mission to the far side of the moon. NASA engineers and scientists worked diligently to ensure that they returned safely to earth. In fact, they used data from an unmanned Artemis I test flight in 2022 to make modifications for the reentry trajectory for Artemis II. It was the knowledge that came from the 2022 flight that led to the successful flight in 2026.
What both King David and Artemis II mission illustrate is that alignment can apply to one’s life, one’s business, and one’s spiritual life. Alignment, agreement with God’s ways, brings clarity, vision, hope, and eventually success. If you are interested in a real-time example of alignment, join the 2026 March for Jesus 2026. This year’s March for Jesus is Saturday, March 23rd and will bring together marchers from across the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex who have a desire to be in alignment with the message of unity and peace as believers in Christ.
Bishop Earnest Carradine is the pastor of International Harvest Christian Fellowship Church which is one of the sponsors of March for Jesus 2026. Scheduled for May 23, 2026 in downtown Fort Worth, the event will feature hundreds of participants from across the Metroplex. For more information on how to participate, visit https://www.marchforjesusfortworth.com.
