Space Pslog

I've always been awed by space travel. I remember as a child watching with wonder the images of Apollo missions on TV. The voice of Walter Cronkite only added to the wonder.

This week, I've once again been glued to the progress of the latest mission of the Space Shuttle Discovery. I think I've actually spent more time watching the NASA channel than I've spent watching ESPN. Frightening.

My three kids and I sat - eating sandwiches - on the floor of my bedroom and watched Discovery launch on Tuesday afternoon. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it was a fun Dad moment. There's just something cool to see your kids captured in a moment of awe and wonder.

I'm captured right there with them. Probably have a little longer attention span, though.

Lift off. A "rendevous pitch maneuver" (technical name for a 360-backflip in outer space). Docking with the International Space Station. Transferring several tons of supplies from the shuttle to the space station with a robotic arm. Preparing for three space walks.

Psalm 19:1-3 says this,

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.

I can't watch space exploration without recognizing and declaring God's glory. The skies really do declare the work of God's hands.

Nine people - Americans, English, German and Russian - working together with the help of hundreds of others in at least two continents to experience God's glory and pursue knowledge of the outer edges of God's creation. All of this with live audio and video transmission.

Watching all of the maneuvers on TV and listening to the audio transmissions brings outer space right into my home. The vast out there seems like it's right here. Kind of like being in relationship with an omnipresent God who perceives even my thoughts from far away (Psalm 139:2).

No one can deny the risk of space exploration. Those of us who are old enough remeber vivid images of Columbia, Challenger, Apollo 1 and Apollo 13 (even if its Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon & Ed Harris). In spite of this, space seems so peaceful, doesn't it?

In spite of being hundreds of miles in space, the ISS and Discovery crews in many respects may be the safest nine human beings alive tonight. They'll probably sleep as peacefully as any of us.

It's disheartening to realize that - to a large degree - I've become numb to many of the daily news headlines. In spite of this, today's headlines are enough to cause just a touch of unease - reports that the FBI twarted a terrorist plot agains New York City; moments of silence in London to mark the one year anniversary of terrorist bombings that killed 52 and wounded hundreds; missile testing in North Korea; violence between Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza; oh, and were there any bombings in Iraq today?

I need to get out of the way and realize that the same glory and wonder out there longs to find a home right here. And over there. And there, too.

Let my words pour forth speech and display knowledge of the wonder of God's creation. May all of us discover peace which may seem far away but is really within our reach.