EARTH-RISE

Dear friends,

(Today’s Message is by President Dale Meyer, Concordia Seminary, St Louis, MO)

            “You and I are blessed to live in amazing times. This past July 20 we celebrated the liftoff that put man on the moon, the mission of Apollo 11 fifty years ago in 1969. There was another fiftieth anniversary, probably less noticed, that happened about six months before on December 24, 2018. The mission of Apollo 8 was to circle the Moon, not land, but just circle the Moon.

            “As Apollo 8 circled the Moon that Christmas Eve, the astronauts were awed to see planet Earth rising above the Moon. Earth rose above the Moon, much as we who are on Earth see the Sun rise over the Earth’s horizon. Earth rose above the Moon, a beautiful blue, green and white globe in the vastness of dark, cold space.

            “Astronaut William Anders moved as quickly as he could to take pictures. The result is the spectacular photo called, “Earthrise.” I know you have seen that photo and maybe now have it in your mind. Earth rising over the moon! With that photo in mind, consider this: mankind had never before seen from space the wondrous place that the Lord of Creation made for us and put us on to live. Everything else in the photo is gray and dark, foreboding, but not the beautiful home God made for us.

            “And now let’s think about the love of our Creator. When we sinned, we transgressed His ways of life because we thought we knew better how to order our lives than He who made us. As we creatures still sin and continue to fall short of the glory of our Creator, our Maker did not look at sinful planet Earth and decide to destroy it. Instead He sent His Son to die and bear our sins, and to rise from the dead, ascend into heaven, pour out His Spirit on us and give us new, re-created lives.

            “Keep the image of “Earthrise” in mind and hear His Word: “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:66).

            “This Lord Jesus shines in our hearts through faith, and one day we will see our ascended Lord return visibly to Earth. He comes to judge all people and take all His followers, His “not-normal” people, into eternity with Him. And so we rejoice, because, “In Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17)”

            Well said, Dr. Meyer! “Earthrise” is a special, one-of-a-kind photo image that Astronaut Anders has given us, and yet one that God and His elect see every day. May we all rejoice in the presence of Jesus as He shines His glorious light eternally forever in the Universe He has made.

Shine, Jesus, shine, that all people may see You!

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com