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.