[This reflection was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 20/Jun/2016]
No it’s not a typing error but it was a great relief to many people when Major Tim Peake returned safely to earth after 6 months in space. During that time he carried out over 250 experiments, completed a dangerous walk in space, ran a marathon in zero gravity and enthused countless children and adults as he interacted with them from space.
I have always been interested in astronomy and space from when I was a child, and like many others I well remember the excitement of the first moon landing by the crew of Apollo 11 in July, 1969. But in some ways it was the flight of Apollo 8 several months earlier that had a greater impact on me. For the first time ever astronauts left earth’s orbit to fly out towards the moon and travel round it without landing. While they were behind the moon radio contact was lost with the crew, Borman, Lovell and Anders. Coming out from behind the moon radio contact was regained and Anders announced the following dramatic message to the world which the three men took in turn to read.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth; and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, ”Let there be light,” And there was light. And God saw the light that it was good.”
Then they continued up to
“And God called the dry land earth, and the gathering together of the waters he called seas. And God saw that it was good.” (Gen 1:1-10).
These men were witnesses to the fact that, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hand.” (Psalm 19:1). How different from an earlier Russian cosmonaut who proudly declared from space that he could not see God. As we look up into the skies may we see the hand of God and praise Him, but at the same time remember the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 4 v18:
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
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Contributed by Michael Goble; © the Author
