Window on the Wonder

 

"Copy, moon joy."

 

That's what the Artemis commander called the crew's lunar euphoria as they approached the moon.

 

And that was just the beginning. For all their science, for all their simulations, they were almost at a loss for words.

 

The view behind the moon and seeing the Earth left them in awe.

 

And to think - they were looking at one little blue marble in one galaxy. In what is estimated now to be two trillion galaxies!

 

Four people have now traveled farther from our planet than all the billions who have lived on Earth. And become the only humans to ever see the dark side of the moon.

 

The astronauts became poets. And we became space tourists. Because they did so much to "bring us along."

 

"It was the most spectacular moment," Commander Wiseman said after their first full glimpse of their home planet. "It paused all four of us in our tracks."

 

We're wow-ed by our sunsets on earth. They got to see an "Earthset" as the earth dropped below the lunar horizon - and a stunning view of the moon eclipsing the sun.

 

Wiseman said, "No matter how long we look at this, our brains are not processing this image in front of us. It is absolutely spectacular. Surreal. I know there's no adjectives. I'm going to need to invent some new ones to describe what we are looking at out this window."

 

Three thousand years ago, the psalmist David seemed to be lost in wonder, too, just viewing the night sky from earth.

 

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is mankind that You are mindful of them, human beings that You care for them?" (Psalm 8:3-4)

 

The wonders of our tiny corner of the cosmos overflow the heart, whether simple or scientific. So what is the word for what we feel in these awe-filled moments that take us beyond ourselves?

 

The word is worship.

 

But, like love, worship is incomplete without an object. "I love" is a nice beginning, but it needs a name after it. So does a heart that is overflowing with feelings of wonder, inspired by the majesty of creation.

 

Creation itself is not enough for a heart in search of somewhere to land our soaring soul.

 

We are reaching for the Source.

 

The sacred Scriptures complete our cosmic soul journey by pointing us to Jesus. The Christ. The Son of God.

 

"For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible... all things have been created through Him and for Him" (Colossians 1:15-16).

 

Artemis crew member Christina Koch said: "Looking back at Earth... I found myself noticing, not only the beauty of Earth, but how much blackness there was around it and how it just made it even more special." Another crew member said, "You're on a spaceship called Earth that was created to give us a place to live. You are special."

 

Looking at the cosmos from this "special" place, David marveled that the Creator of it all would be "mindful" of us or "care for" us.

 

This planet is not even a speck in the oceans of galaxies. But it is here that God Almighty chose to make creatures in His own image! Made - and here's what takes my breath away - to have a love relationship with Him!

 

The wonders of a space journey to our farthest destination so far have revealed the greater journey of every heart on this planet.

 

To find the One behind the wonders. Who not only created this planet. But Who has visited this planet to take us to Him. The wonder of all wonders is that...

 

"God so loved the world!"

 

This world.  Our world.  Us.

 

Check out more from Ron Hutchcraft @Hutchcraft.com