It seems like space travel has been a big theme on social media recently. Videos especially of the latest launch, the most urgent campaign, the most recent breakthrough have been making headlines. Typing in “space tourism” to Google brings up a whole slough of videos and well as articles about the number of tickets already sold (over 700), the cost of a trip, and who will be sponsoring the flights (O’Callaghan). But one video clip that particularly sparked my interest involved the launch of a remotely controlled rocket and space capsule with two space tourists along for the ride. The computer-generated walkthrough showed the whole experience from boarding, to seating, to launching, to weightlessly navigating the capsule, to the reentry and final landing. I couldn’t help, but be impressed. The routine looked so smoothly executed and safe—what could possibly go wrong? But then my next thought sent a lump into my throat. What if I were the one riding that rocket? I know that space flight is beyond anything that I could afford, but the thought still impacted me. Would I trust the team of specialists who were checking, launching, and guiding the rocket through this little jaunt in outer space? The stakes of actually climbing aboard a remotely guided rocket are so much higher than merely examining the process. Would I really trust them enough?
Trust also lies at the heart of a journey of a different sort. The stakes of this journey are actually vastly higher than a rocket launch. Hebrews 11 presents this trust-based journey powerfully when it says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1). The essence of faith is trusting in God and making that deep trust the basis for committing yourself to Him in your plans, thinking, lifestyle, and values. The rest of the chapter goes on to describe the life journeys of several Bible heroes who’s trust in God was definitely stretched, but did not break. I’m sure many of them had feelings similar to a space tourist being blasted off into the blue with only the assurances of a team guiding their ship from the ground. Sometimes the chaos of life’s journey seems to challenge our certainty that God is guiding behind the scenes. But Scripture promises us that in the midst of the frazzled circumstances, God is in control. We can know from Bible prophecy that the circumstances will only get harsher and more chaotic as earth careens towards the close of time. But we can also look back on history and rest assured that God has kept His promises to His people and He will continue to do so. Christ says in John 16: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Let’s keep trusting!
O’Callaghan, Jonathan. “2019 is the Year when Space Tourism Finally Becomes a Reality. No, Really.” Wired Online: Space. 24 January 2019. Accessed August 26, 2019.