When I was a kid, I was enamored with the space program. I faintly remember the Gemini program, but definitely the Apollo. We visited Cape Kennedy, and I was awestruck by the control room. As an adult, I still thrill over the miracle of it all: figuring out how to send people into space, land on the moon, possibly go to Mars. Recently, astronaut John Young died. They named a parkway after him in Orlando. He was the only man to fly in the Gemini, Apollo, and space shuttle programs. Blasting off from earth six times: a human record. Longest career of any NASA astronaut. Orbited the moon. Walked on the moon. Oh, to have had his experiences!

My second-favorite movie is “Apollo 13”. As many times as I watch it, I still get goose bumps. A technological achievement involving thousands of hard-working, intelligent people. It is the human aspect, going through all the excitement, fear, and grave danger that those astronauts persevered over. And their families. The scene where Flight Director Gene Krantz, played by Ed Harris, collapses with relief into his chair when they know that Lovell, Haise, and Swigart are home free. He did that in one take.

The lunar module was not designed to be the lifeboat it became for those three men. They would have to burn the engines in space to maintain the proper course.  In another scene, Gene Krantz is conferring with the head project engineer (or whatever his title was) of the “LEM”. He said it had never been tried that way. Gene says, “if it lights, it lights – let Lovell take care of the rest.”

Our faith, our spirit, the gifts we have been given in Christ Jesus, are like that “LEM” engine sometimes. We can have confidence that our “engine” will “light” if we give it the chance. It can be scary, putting our faith out there. People may look at us strangely, even steer away, if they observe us being filled with the Spirit. Let your light shine, your fire ignite, with the Epiphany light that burns within us. There is joy in being God’s precious children. There is hope to be shared among the despairing multitude. I, and we, can recapture the near-giddy thrill of venturing into the unknown. Believe that God will equip you with the right words and/or response. Believe that He loves you unconditionally!

Pastor Art