I remember as a kid watching the live news coverage of our nation’s Apollo 8 space mission.
I was impressed with all those super smart men and women who could figure out how to send a manned spaceship to circle the moon and return safely to earth. I was intrigued watching the video of the Mission Control room where dozens of high tech computers were being operated by these incredibly smart people.
From lift-off to landing, the entire mission was intense. But the most intense moments came when the space craft went into its orbit around the moon. For forty-five minutes there could be no communication with the astronauts while they were rounding the far side of the moon. It was a time of radio silence during which all of us earthlings asked questions like, “Are the astronauts OK?” or “Have plans changed?” or “Will we be able to hear them speak again?”
From my very limited understanding of the physics involved, the orbit around the moon served as a sort of slingshot as the resulting centrifugal force would throw the spaceship back toward earth. So…though there was silence while rounding the far side of the moon, even during the silence significant things were happening which would insure an exciting and successful mission.
Sometimes during these days of transition I need to remember some of the principles involved in orbiting the far side of the moon.
Even though God may be silent at times, during the silence He is causing significant things to happen. Plans are continuing “on course” and momentum is building for an exciting and successful mission.
When the Apollo 8 finally came out of the time of silence, astronaut James Lovell’s comment was, “Houston, good to hear your voice.”
Roger that.
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