This Pretty Planet

(Genesis 1:7-10; Hebrews 11:3)

All of us have probably seen pictures of the earth taken from outer space by space craft or astronauts. These pictures are awesomely beautiful. Imagine with me for a moment that you are on a space craft looking back at the earth. See the sphere suspended in space, held in place by nothing. Watch the white cotton clouds float above, around, and under this pretty sphere. Notice the azure waters on the face of the earth, and the patches of land that appear, and then disappear under a canopy of cloud.

Genesis records these words: "And God made the firmament (heavens) and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament, and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And God said, "Let the waters unders the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas; and God saw that it was good."

Here in God's Word we have an accurate description of what you have seen in your mind's eye, aided by the experience and photography of astronaunts and space equipment. These words were recorded millenniums ago, and passed down in written form to us today. We did not need astronauts and space craft to tell us about our planet. God's Word already did.

Tom Chapin, a brother to the late Harry Chapin, who is also a singer/songwriter, has written a song describing our beautiful planet. John Glenn, while on his last historic space shuttle mission several years ago, requested that this song be played by mission control as a morning wake-up call.

This Pretty Planet

Winds blow, Tides flow,
Shooting stars descend.
Our lives begin, middle and end on
This Pretty Planet
Spinning through space.
You're a garden,
You're a harbor,
You're a holy place.
Golden sun going down,
Gentle blue giant
Spin us around
All through the night.
Safe till the morning light.

Although different words, this song carries much the same meaning as those words spoken by Job around 2000 B.C. Job said, "He stretchedth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing. He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them. He holdeth back the face of His throne, and spreadeth His cloud upon it. He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end."

Job never set foot off of this planet earth, yet, because he was inspired by the One Who created all things, he knew that this planet was hanging in space, held in place by nothing. All that is left for man to understand is that "the worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."

Scientists and astronauts have indeed taken "Giant step"(s) for mankind, but now man must take the leap of faith and believe in the obvious Creator of This Pretty Planet. That journey is much shorter than a space voyage, for it takes place in the human heart. Is your heart ready for that leap?