Artemis II’s Wiseman: “I Saw the Cross and Broke Down in Tears”

ARTEMIS II’S WISEMAN

ARTEMIS II’S WISEMAN. Russia’s Yuri Gagarin became the first man to travel in outer space 65 years ago. Reportedly he said, “I went up to space, but I didn’t encounter God.” Later, we learned that Soviet propaganda put those words in his mouth. Because his friend, General Valentin Petrov, called him a “baptized faithful” Russian Orthodox. In fact, Gagarin “always confessed God whenever he was provoked, no matter where he was.”

The latest crew in space, on Artemis II, included outspoken Christian Victor Glover. He said, “I read the Bible and I look at all of the amazing things that were done for us who were created.” He called earth “this amazing place, this spaceship…created to give us a place to live in the universe.” His encounter with the cosmos led him to consider the place that God gave us in it.

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Even the non-religious spaceship commander Reid Wiseman has begun to find his spiritual bearings. Upon his return to earth, he said he didn’t know how to reorient himself, “I asked for the chaplain on the Navy ship to just come visit us for a minute. And when that man walked in, I’d never met him before in my life. But I saw the cross on his collar and I broke down in tears.”

That happened to me when I first experienced God in a small congregation on Easter Sunday 1987. A friend who had become curious about that church brought me there. I’d tried several churches before, and left disappointed. So I thought I’d go with him to ease his disappointment. Although I wasn’t looking for God, He was looking for me. He reached my heart through the heartfelt worship of that congregation, and I wept for joy.

It killed me to know Jesus loved me despite the mess I had made of my life. Now I’ve become a completely different man. Pray God does something like that to non-religious people like Reid Wiseman.

PRAY WITH US about Artemis II’s Wiseman

Father God, we declare You as Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in them. For where can we escape Your Presence? No one has ever reached the height or depth or length or breadth of Your love. So we thank You for beginning to reach the Artemis II commander when he retruned to earth. For through the cross of Christ You make everything new. We pray that He becomes a new man in Christ as I and countless others have become.

We take this as a heavenly sign that You are going to do new things on the earth. Because eye has not seen nor ear heard what God has prepared for those who love Him. But You have revealed it to us by Your Spirit. So give us all new spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear what You are doing in this season. And help us reach the spiritually blind and deaf to give them Your light and Your words of new life. In Jesus’ name, amen.