Not Because It Is Easy

What We Can Learn About God from the Space Race

Jul 16, 2024

(This is from the book God is Like a Rocket Launch)

Russia was winning the Space Race. This threatened America’s way of life.

Russia and its Sputnik satellites changed how America looked at space.

They no longer viewed space as a novelty but as a necessity. If Russia could send something into space to threaten America, the U.S. was beaten.

The challenge was impossible. NASA was tasked with catching the Soviets and reaching the moon.

John F. Kennedy didn’t deny the challenges ahead but confirmed them in his famous “We choose to go to the moon” speech.

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.

President Kennedy removed any excuses by declaring that he realized it’d be hard.

When Jesus first challenged His disciples to preach the gospel to the lost, He took away any potential excuses by recognizing the challenges they would encounter.

16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. - Matthew 10:16-17 NIV

As grim as this sounds, Jesus didn’t stop there. He was clear that we’d face obstacles in our mission of reaching the lost.

22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. - Matthew 10:22-23 NIV

Jesus knows. He knows how hard of a mission it is. For me, this brings a strange peace.

He knew it’d be hard, yet He challenged and trusted us. As JFK acknowledged the long road ahead for NASA, so did Jesus recognize the long road ahead for believers.

Are we willing to accept Jesus’ challenge and unwilling to postpone?

(This is from the book God is Like a Rocket Launch if you want to experience all 30 of these observationals you can grab a copy from Amazon.)