The Cracked Acorn: Shadows

After many years of faithful government service, a long-time frontiersman and explorer are about to be unwilling to retire. The government has decided that they no longer want to provide a health plan and support the underwriters. Yes, once again it is costly to grow old and be around too long.

Of course, I am joking and really touching on the decade-plus aged Hubble telescope. It could have been in the cargo bay of the ill-fated Challenger but missed its ride into the heavens. Even after its launch in 1990, it required a refit of special lenses.

I recall in a Sunday school class that the teacher spent much of the hour trying to define where heaven is, up above or down below or all around us (for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12).

The Hubble telescope has opened up new vistas for those who are eager to date the universe and see distant stars, galaxies and postulate new theories about the worlds beyond our planet. In the past we have had to settle with puny efforts to see and guess at what is out there, now we can think of possible planet-like earth that we could eventually reach and find someone to greet with a “Howdy!” and “Have a nice day!”. The Hubble will leave us with lots of answers for which we yet have to find the questions. Its replacement (James Webb Space Telescope) is to be more powerful and will delight all those who want to find out why we are here and what will be our ultimate situation years and years from today.

What does all this add up to be: (from my vast warehouse of sometimes useful trivial anecdotes0

“There was a person blind from birth, who never could have ever thought of seeing…as told to him by others who could see, what it was like to SEE. Experimental processes by doctors suggested that his sight ‘might’ be restored. So, it happened and when the bandages were removed, he cried, “I can see!” What are you seeing, the doctors asked? “Shadows!” and tears flowed.

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon, and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? Psalm 8: 3-4

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. II Corinthians 5:1

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people. Revelation 21: 1-2