Gimbaled

I recently watched the British documentary, “In the Shadow of the Moon.” This film chronicles the events leading up to and including the Apollo 11 space mission that became a part of history’s top ten moments when Neil Armstrong placed his foot on the lunar surface and said, “That is one small step for man, and one giant leap for mankind.” Do you remember where you were when those words rang out over the globe? That moment changed the world and I’m not just talking Tang here… it stands as a reminder of how small we are from a distance yet how graced and great we are to have the minds and the creativity that we inherited from the Father above! From above, whether Mount Pisgah’s lofty heights or the far side of the moon, man is humbled to know the greatness of his Creator and the eternal space He fills.

Can you name the three astronauts that manned Apollo 11? Most people readily name Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldren but at best pause to name Michael Collins the command module pilot that circled the moon for more than two hours while Armstrong and Aldren walked the moon. In this documentary as they interviewed Collins he spoke of the moments they lifted off the launch pad describing the power disseminated in violent shaking of the craft and then the unsettling gimbaled effect of liftoff. He went on to explain that this pencil shaped craft being thrust into space with incredible force would naturally pitch and roll. I had to look up gimbals because the only Gimbels I knew was a department store in New York. The gyroscope is a good way to understand gimbals which are radius controls that allow an object to stay upright. Such thrusters were employed on the Apollo flights to stabilize liftoff. Hey, if you want a better explanation than that you’ll have to talk to an astronaut.

I like the spiritual idea of God supplying the gimbaled thrust to keep us upright in faith and holiness. I don’t know about you but I’m quite wobbly from time to time in my daily struggles and I need a prayer booster or Spirit led prodding of my conscience to keep me upright for the day. Though I might get a little woozy from the pitch and roll of life I’m sure that God has a plan and my faith is anchored in the hope of eternal life… so, I’ll keep on not in the shadow of the moon but the shadow of His hand! -DAN