International Space Station

I know something about making the trip from Johnson City, Tennessee to
Nashville.  It's a favorite destination because that's where my
children and grandchildren live.  Driving at the posted speed limit
(or just a little above, perhaps), the trip takes about four and one-
half hours.  If a strong urge strikes, I could hop in my car and make
the trip easily.

There's another journey that doesn't involve quite as many miles.
Though I might enjoy taking the trip, I don't expect I ever will.  For
one thing I don't have a way to get there; I'd have to take a taxi.
And I'm quite sure I wouldn't be able to afford that taxi, even if I
could get a seat.

The International Space Station orbits about 220 miles above the
earth.  Yesterday the Boeing Company, makers of some of the most
famous airplanes that fly our friendly skies, announced a partnership
with Virginia-based Space Adventures.  Plans are already underway to
take seven-passenger flights to the Space Station as early as 2015.
This program is a result of NASA's recent initiative to develop
private-sector "space taxis".  Ticket prices were not announced.

NASA's space shuttle program will come to an end in 2011.  After that
our nation will depend on Russian space flights to get our astronauts
to the Space Station.  For that service Russia will charge $51 million
per seat on the Soyuz spacecraft.  Will Space Adventures offer more
competitive fares?

Though I don't expect to travel in outer space during my lifetime, I
do fully intend to one day leave this earth.  No, there's no
contradiction in that sentence.  I simply believe in promises that
have been made to me and all others who choose to follow Jesus.
Here's one statement of the promise: "Let not your heart be troubled;
you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many
mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a
place for you" (John 14:1,2).

What that heavenly home will be like is the subject of much
speculation.  Not many details are revealed in the Bible.  What kind
of food will we eat - or will we eat food?  Will each of us have our
own private quarters?  Will heaven's streets really be paved with
gold?  Each of us have ideas of what heaven will be like, but God
didn't tell us very much.

But one thing makes heaven worthy of our dreams: Jesus has gone to
prepare that place for us.  If the Garden of Eden - a place prepared
by God - was an ideal existence, can you imagine what heaven will be
like?!

Sure, heaven may be fabulous, but how will we get there?  Jesus spoke
about that in that same passage: "And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am,
there you may be also" (John 14:3).  Jesus is lining up our
transportation.

One of the greatest of God's prophets, Elijah, was given an escort to
heaven.  A chariot of fire appeared and swept the godly man away from
the earth (2 Kings 2:11).  Will that be our "taxi" to heaven?  I don't
know; it's best to leave such details to God.  But there's no doubt in
my mind I'll be transported to my heavenly home some day.  All I have
to do for now is keep living in Christ (Revelation 2:10).

 

Timothy D. Hall