by David Scott Robertson
February 1, 2003.
Like all Americans, I awoke to a national tragedy.
I watched CNN in horror, sadness, and pain as the space shuttle Columbia plummeted through earth’s atmosphere at about 12,500 miles per hour.
Like many of you, I was stunned.
Flashbacks of the space shuttle Challenger tragedy 17 years prior began to resurface.
Right away, I began praying for family members of the crew who had just unwillingly entered a passageway through grief.
I remember watching the coverage with my wife for a few hours, then feeling the need to take an emotional break we went to Wal-Mart to do our grocery shopping.
I numbly walked through the store and I distinctly remember thinking to myself – how can over a thousand people be here right now shopping?
How come my car started when I turned on the ignition?
How come the water still came out of the faucet in the restroom?
How is it that the birds were singing outside?
How come kids were playing at the public park when we drove by?
Why were the restaurants full?
How come life seemed to go on as if nothing happened?
After all, seven human beings had just died this morning, how come everything around me in effect was business as usual?
As I grappled with these thoughts, I realized that more than seven precious individuals died on February 1, 2003. I don’t exactly know what the death rate is the world but the fact of the matter is that hundreds of thousands of people died on Saturday along with our national heroes. We don’t know their names but certainly their loved ones do.
I wonder if they struggled with the fact that time seemed to march on even though their world seemed to stand still?
Later, I listened to President Bush compassionately address the nation about our loss and at that moment I was very proud to be an American.
I am thankful to the NASA family and the men and women astronauts who face the challenges, dangers, and risks of space exploration to advance important causes of humankind.
I appreciate other professionals who risk life and limb on a daily basis to keep our economy grinding forward.
I appreciate the armed forces of the United States of America who place themselves in harm’s way to protect the American people and allies throughout the globe.
I am thankful for so many millions of people who make up our society that dream their dreams and pay their taxes and buy their goods and provide their services and live their lives to the best of their ability.
Each one will be sorely missed as they pass away.
My take on death is to live life well and biblically.
That way, your survivors will not only receive comfort in knowing that your life was not lived in vain having meaning and great significance but they will also have peace in knowing your eternal destination is with God. For Christians, death is by no means final.
Our Heavenly Father has scheduled a wonderful reunion of departed loved ones one glorious day.
In the meantime, here are some ways to make your life count for God:
1. KNOW YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE
We must strive to know the purpose for which God created us.
Ask yourself: What is the contribution that we can make to humanity that God has uniquely qualified and equipped us to make?
2. FULFILL YOUR POTENTIAL
We must strive to realize our potential and finish the work God has called us to do.
Ask yourself: What steps do I need to take to pursue my life development process to become all that God intends me to become?
3. SOW SEEDS IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS
We must strive to impart godly values in our children, friends, and families that will outlive us.
Ask yourself: Am I spending adequate time influencing those most important to me to help prepare them for success in life?
Let me say it again for emphasis: For those who are Christians, death is by no means the end. For the believer in Jesus Christ, death is not a passageway through grief, but an on ramp from the side street of life to the superhighway of greater life.
It is this hope in afterlife and eternal life that has brought me great comfort and peace in times of intense loss and tragedy.
(2 Cor 1:3 NIV) “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
(2 Cor 1:4 NIV) who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
(2 Cor 1:5 NIV) For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”
IN LOVING MEMORY OF…
Shuttle commander Rick Husband, pilot William McCool, mission specialists Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, David Brown, Michael Anderson, Laurel Clark, and Kalpana Chawla.
DSR
2/3/03