Price of Progress

The space shuttle Atlantis made its final journey, and landed safely for the last time on 21 July 2011. This was the culmination of 30 years of the shuttle program with all their missions. I am a 'child' of the space age, having been a very young teenager when the first man was blasted into space. I then watched with awe when the time came for mankind to land and walk on the moon, and then the shuttle program continued to hold my imagination right to the end.

There was a heavy price to pay for the whole space program in the USA and Russia. Good people paid with their lives to ensure that space exploration progressed. They were willing to pay that price, by going ahead in spite of the risks involved, and shows the dedication of those special people. The overall success of the whole enterprise will not be measured by the few (although very costly) failures, no, it will be judged by the advances made by each individual success along the way. Slow and steady progress!

Somehow, I see a parallel to our Christian life here. We all, without exception, have faced, and will continue to face, problems. Some seem to share a bigger burden than others, but have you noticed that the folks who have survived their 'faith battles' are the same ones you want to be around, whom you see as more refined, and even 'saintly'? These good folks will have paid a great price for their ongoing faith, but have emerged like a beautiful butterfly from the ugly and broken chrysalis they left behind.

I agree that surviving your 'faith battles' unscathed is easier said than done, but when life is in the autumn stages, would you not rather be able to look back and say with the apostle Paul....

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Tim 4:7-8 (KJV).

Don't you just love that promise? I do, and yes, it is worth it!