Last night, from our house, I watched the most recent Space X Falcon 9 take off in the darkness from the southern coast of California. We could easily see the flame as it crawled up through gravity into the edge of space. As I watched, I remembered a poem that was written in 1941 by a young RCAF pilot, John Gllespie Magee, who was preparing to go to war in his Spitfire fighter. He called it “High Flight” and here is a sample of it:
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings…
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew—
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
Shortly after writing this poem, Magee was killed in a mid-air collision…he was 19 years old. Magee never touched the face of God while flying, but he, like each one of us can at least see the face of God when we finally leave this earth. To see, and maybe even get to touch the face of God, all we need to do is to become one of his children through the relationship with him that was made possible through the cross of Jesus Christ. In that moment those who love him will slip the surly bonds of Earth and we too will dance the skies on laughter silvered wings. As a youngster, I spent hours dreaming of flying planes or riding rockets. And now, I know that I will never do that. But I do know in my heart and soul that one day I too will slip the surly bonds of this earth and I will with silent, lifting mind trod, the untresspassed sanctity of space…and I will finally see him and perhaps he will allow me to put out my hand, and touch the face of God. And that same God invites any one of us to do the same. And for that, he just needs your “yes” to his offer of love and forgiveness. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
1 John 3:2 BSB Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings…
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew—
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
Shortly after writing this poem, Magee was killed in a mid-air collision…he was 19 years old. Magee never touched the face of God while flying, but he, like each one of us can at least see the face of God when we finally leave this earth. To see, and maybe even get to touch the face of God, all we need to do is to become one of his children through the relationship with him that was made possible through the cross of Jesus Christ. In that moment those who love him will slip the surly bonds of Earth and we too will dance the skies on laughter silvered wings. As a youngster, I spent hours dreaming of flying planes or riding rockets. And now, I know that I will never do that. But I do know in my heart and soul that one day I too will slip the surly bonds of this earth and I will with silent, lifting mind trod, the untresspassed sanctity of space…and I will finally see him and perhaps he will allow me to put out my hand, and touch the face of God. And that same God invites any one of us to do the same. And for that, he just needs your “yes” to his offer of love and forgiveness. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
1 John 3:2 BSB Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ