CHRISTIAN ASTRONAUT CITES JOB'S TESTIMONY

"He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing"

(Job 26:7)

During two missions on the International Space Station, Job's image often ran through the mind of Col. Jeffrey Williams as he looked down on Earth.

 

Tim Townsend, reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, wrote an article earlier this year on the experiences of former astronaut Col. Jeffrey Williams. The interview came as Col. Williams  was in St. Louis  speaking to third- and fourth-graders for "NASA: Journey to Outer Space," a day camp program hosted by the St. Louis Science Center and Mad Science of St. Louis.  Col. Williams has also published a photograph book entitled, "The Work of His Hands: A View of God's Creation from Space."

 

"When one views the Earth from orbit through the window of a spacecraft for the first time — and perhaps, most every time — it is normal to be struck by the (obvious) reality that the Earth is a ball in the vastness of space," Williams writes. "It is one thing to know that academically, quite another to view it. God really does suspend the Earth on nothing!"   

"Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands."

(Psalm 102:25, Hebrews 1:10)

The space station orbits Earth every 90 minutes. In the duration of an orbit, the Earth rotates 22 degrees, giving space station residents a different view with each trip around the globe.

During his 362 day stay in space (just over two weeks shy of the record) Williams orbited Earth over 2,800 times during Expedition 13. In a 24 hour period he saw 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets.  

Astronauts are usually recorded as saying that when viewing the Earth from space they experience feelings of smallness, even insignificance.  "Christianity is about what God has done for us through our faith in him; to him, we are incredibly significant," Williams said.

During a book signing at Concordia Publishing House bookstore on Jefferson Avenue in St. Louis, Lisa Goodsell, 42, of Waterloo, MO waited in line to talk to Williams during his book signing. A man dressed in a spacesuit also handed out "astronaut ice cream" to the children in the store and told them the creation story from Genesis.

 

Goodsell later told the reporter  that, "I'm fascinated by these pictures and the concept of his perspective on Earth from space." "How can you look at these pictures and think a creator didn't put the universe together? It's not random."

"Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together. "

(Isaiah 48:13)

"We come to know about God through the Scriptures, and we can learn about God's work through incredible photos — like those taken by Hubble," Williams said, referring to the space telescope that beams back images of deep space.  

"But we can never really know God."

May the Lord add a blessing to those who come to know about Him through the Scriptures...

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