How would you respond?

Fifty years ago this week, Frank Borman, James Lovell, and Bill Anders became the first men to leave Earth, orbit the moon and return to earth safely. During the Apollo 8 mission, Anders caught this photograph, titled “Earthrise”.  It was at this sight that the astronauts had an opportunity to broadcast back to earth on Christmas Eve.  

Photo Credit: William Anders (Public Domain) 

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/a410/AS8-14-2383HR.jpg

Their opening words were a reading from Genesis 1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.”

As I contemplated the power of this scenario and the proclamation of God’s handiwork from men looking back at our planet from the moon I started to cry.  I wanted to be an astronaut growing up, but the course of my life and career veered toward becoming a preacher.  However, I wonder if these astronauts had any idea that their response to God’s creation and their placement in His story would stir the hearts of people for half a century and beyond.

More than the gravitas of seeing earth from afar is the thought of how we are helping our children to have eyes that recognize God at work and the language of scripture that wells up from within, when looking at our world, whether from far away or from ground level, to proclaim God at work.   I haven’t found a lot about the upbringing of these three astronauts, but along their path, scripture was put in front of them at such a place that when they had a chance to see and respond to a view most of us will never experience beyond a screen, they responded with words from scripture.  

John writes in 1 John 2:14 “I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”  What a great challenge to us who know God to help those who are young, our children, to have the Word of God living inside them, uttering responses at the sight of God and His creation the proclaim God’s goodness and love. 

As we start a new year, I want to encourage you to consider how God’s Word is living and acting in your life.  Step further into reading, studying, and memorizing it.  Pass along the lessons you’ve learned and encourage your children to know God and His Word, you never know when as a teacher, astronaut, contractor, etc.… they will be called to preach or proclaim God’s handiwork in creation and redemption of humanity.

Waiting...

What is the hardest part about waiting for something?

Have you ever waited for something so intensely that you could taste it?

I have a Golden Retriever named Nola that tends to steal food, even though she’s ten years old, we are still working on getting her to wait for us to give her something in her bowl. She has recently started barking at our food whiled it's still on the table.  We’ll make her sit or lay down and you can see her eyes brighten when that food is in sight, she starts to squirm, if she’s laying down, she’ll sometimes even army crawl just to get nearer the food bowl.  She’ll sometimes even start chewing before she has it in her mouth.  

Nola in her calm state without food around

Ever feel that way?  I think Christmas can be that kind of a time. Maybe you give hints or write notes to Santa, or have some anticipation for something special, as the time draws near, it’s like you can almost taste it. 

This season of Advent is practice in the art of waiting.  Bonhoeffer said “Waiting is an art that our impatient age has forgotten. It wants to break open the ripe fruit when it has hardly finished planting the shoot.  But all too often the greedy eyes are only deceived; the fruit that seemed so precious is still green on the inside, and disrespectful hands ungratefully toss aside what has so disappointed them.  Whoever does not know the austere blessedness of waiting—that is, of hopefully doing without—will never experience the full blessing of fulfillment.”

In Galatians 4:4-6, Paul says “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.  And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

Previously, Paul talks about a child who inherits all of his father’s wealth, yet is waiting until he is old enough to actually manage it on his own.  But when the time was right, God sent his son, so that we who trust in him could receive the inheritance of Jesus, not as a servant, but as a son or daughter.  Now that sounds like it is worth the wait!  

No wonder we get all antsy like my golden retriever.  Romans 15:13 says “May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may about in hope.”  We are currently in a season of Advent, having gotten a whiff of salvation from Jesus, sent as a baby to be God’s presence with us (Emmanuel), receiving the Holy Spirit that fills us with all joy, peace, and hope. This keeps us focused with laser-like focus on Jesus who is perfecting and writing our faith until he returns for us, where we can spend eternity in his presence.  

As much as I hate waiting, I don’t want to get detoured by imposters that turn out to be too good to be true, looking ripe and juicy right now, but turn out to be green and bitter. During this season of Advent, not just December, but my life, waiting until the fullness of salvation in God, my prayer for myself and for you is that of the Psalmist in Psalm 62:5-8:

For God alone my soul waits in silence, 

For my hope is from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, 

My fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my deliverance and my honor; 

My mighty rock, my refuge is in God.  

Trust in him at all times, O people;

Pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us.