|
|
|
God of Wonder |
 |
|
Location: Blogs Brad's BlogMid-Week Missive |
 | | Posted by: Brad Miller | 7/22/2009 3:21 PM | Greetings on this grey morning,
One of the things that seems to fade as we get older is our sense of wonder. I’m not sure why that is. Maybe we have seen too much, understand too much, become too logical, too cynical. Whatever it is, we just seem to not be as surprised or delighted by things like we did when we were younger. Or maybe it’s because we don’t take the time to be in awe of the amazing things that go on around us.
I am willing to bet that for anyone around my age or older, we did share an awe inspiring moment of wonder on July 20, 1969. On that day, 40 years ago Monday, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first two humans on the moon. Very late on that day, they emerged from inside their space capsule and walked on the surface of the moon. I can still remember the day vividly, and I can still remember my feeling of absolute wonder and awe at the scratchy scenes that were unfolding on our black and white television set. After years of study and research and space flights and more research and more development, the folks at NASA sent a rocket out of the earth’s orbit and on a journey of some quarter of a million miles and pinpointed a landing to with ¼ mile of where they were planning to go! People were walking on the moon. It is the stuff of science fiction. I know that there are some that don’t believe it took place, that it was all staged, but no matter; the rush of pride and adrenaline that I felt on that night was because I wanted to believe. And I want to believe.
Probably like many of you, I walked outside at some point and stood and stared up at the moon. “There are two men up there,” I said to myself. “Men on the moon.” It is a feeling I will never forget.
In the years since then, we have become accustomed to amazing things. 12 more humans walked on the moon after Aldrin and Armstrong. (I actually had the good luck to meet one of them. He is a friend’s father in law and I met him at my friend’s engagement party. I never asked him any questions about it, but I was in awe at what he had accomplished.) People have lived in space for weeks on end. We have seen pictures beamed back from Mars. We have gotten used to the amazing, and the wonder has seemed to fade away.
But if I look around today and allow myself to really think about what I witness on a daily basis, I can not help but reawaken the wonder of those years. Think about the technological advances of the past 40 years: cell phones that fit in your breast pocket; computers that you can carry around; instant communication via the internet; hip, knee and shoulder replacements being achieved with great regularity; heart transplants that have become almost routine; super sonic transport in the skies; cars that get 50-plus miles to a gallon of gas; the list could go on and on. When I think of these things I find myself asking, “What would my grandfather think of all this?” He died in 1963 when the commonplace of my world was nothing more than science fiction in his.
There is one aspect of that heady time of space travel in the late 1960’s that can “awe” me faster than anything else. It is the famous picture taken by the crew of Apollo 8, the first mission to circle the moon. When they were coming out of the dark of the moon’s night, they experienced, as they called it, “earthrise” and took the famous picture of the earth floating in space. The radiant blue and the whisp of clouds as clear as can be. When I add that to what Frank Borman, the commander of that mission read to the world on Christmas Eve 1968, I know that the most wondrous and wonderful things I will ever witness are not made by human hands, but created by the God who loves us and nurtures us and calls us by name. What was it that Frank Borman read that night?
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind form God swept over the face of the water. Then God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light.”
Could there be anything more full of wonder than that?
For an updated prayer list and list of upcoming events, please go to www.brookhavenchristian.org
For your prayer list:
Anne and Zeb Morgan as they continue to recuperate from illness and injury. They send their best wishes and hope to be in worship soon.
William Cox, Diana Hollis’ uncle, as he continues to struggle with complications of pneumonia and cancer.
The family of John Miller, following his taking of his own life. Be with his wife Judy and the entire family. The family are friends of Denise Wylie.
Announcements
Don’t forget your school supplies this week for the Rainbow House – you can bring them until August 9.
Don’t forget the love offering for the Cambodian Church, or our special fellowship luncheon on August 16. (And you won’t want to miss worship that day!)
It’s almost fall and so think about the following special study possibilities: A midday Bible study on prayer starting Wednesday September 9 and going for 5-6 weeks; a one day “mini-retreat” for Marriage Enrichment on a Saturday in late September or early October; a Ladies Bible Study on Sunday nights beginning in mid October and running through mid November; and Advent study on “The Practices of a Fruitful Congregation” beginning in November. Stay tuned!
I hope you can make it to worship this Sunday as we celebrate the Lord’s Day together once again. The sermon is titled “This I Pray” and the scripture lesson is Ephesians 3: 14-21. Have a great rest of the week.
Be peaceful,
Brad
| | | Permalink | Trackback |
|
|
 | |