Blackout Before the Splash
I don’t know about you, but I enjoyed watching the NASA Artemis complete its orbit of the moon in April after a 10-day voyage in space. The study of space and its adventures is fascinating to me. Listening to the intricate details and descriptions kept me on the edge of my seat as I eagerly watched the spacecraft splash down in the Pacific Ocean.
One moment that took me by surprise was a six-minute blackout period. During this time, there was no data communication between the spacecraft and mission control in Houston, and vice versa. The screen I was watching went black as the spacecraft hit high speeds and intense heat, entering the Earth’s atmosphere. I felt nervous watching, and I had nothing to do with the situation.
As I researched the purpose behind this blackout period, I learned from NASA that the shuttle encountered temperatures up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Intense to say the least. Because of the heat, a plasma sheath forms around the capsule to protect the astronauts. Because of this, signals are lost for a few brief moments. As the spacecraft slows into the atmosphere and the plasma dissipates, communication signals return.
A period of no communication. All was quiet. I wonder if the astronauts were on edge during this time, like I was when my eyes were glued to the screen. I’m thankful that everything went as it was supposed to. Astronauts were safe, and the mission was completed.
As believers, our relationship with God doesn’t come with a blackout period. There’s no trial-and-error stage, no wondering if everything will go as planned. When we choose to follow Jesus, we are on track for Heaven. Our names are written in the Book of Life.
When we pray, God hears. He is with us. All of the time, whether we are aware of it or not. We don’t pray and then encounter a connection error, meaning that our prayer doesn’t reach its destination. That’s not how God works.
It may seem at times like we are waiting for a long time for our prayers to be answered. Because of the sin that has long entangled our world, evil and sadness are present. There will be times we still hurt, times we wish we could skip, and prayers we wish would be answered. It doesn’t mean that God isn’t working. God doesn’t work in a blackout period. He’s working 24/7 for you and for me. No matter the situation, God doesn’t change.
Malachi 3: 6, 10
“I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!
