(APRIL 11-17, 1970)
(1 minute, 56 seconds)
In April 1970, fifty-five years ago, three American astronauts aboard Apollo 13 were happily and confidently mission-bound for the moon. They found themselves suddenly sideswiped by catastrophic damage to their spaceship, and in an instant their mission became one of survival: getting back to Earth alive. Out of options and nearly out of time, they were attempting a desperate maneuver which, if successful, could bring them safely home.
With most of their operating systems, including their guidance system, inoperable, the Apollo 13 crew would need to engage in an unprecedented 39-second “manual burn”: hand-controlling the rocket thrust based on visual alignment with Earth through their window to properly align their trajectory for Earth reentry. They anticipated being hurled and jerked about wildly in their falling-apart space vessel while the commander attempted to guide their careening craft accurately toward their target, Earth. They were anticipating a wild ride.
The movie Apollo 13 captures this historical event and the remarkable story of survival beautifully. One of my favorite parts of the film is when we see “Not Losing Heart” acted out in living color.
Tom Hanks is the actor playing Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell. Seconds before the manual burn begins, Tom Hanks steadies his stance, knowing the ship is about to go absolutely crazy.
The camera ominously zooms in on Tom Hanks’ feet, then his hands, then his face. Preparing for the shake-up of a lifetime, Hanks twists his forefoot into the floor and grips his hands tightly to the control handle. With his jaw set firmly and his face set like flint, he gazes straight ahead. In my mind, this posture vividly represents someone who has not lost heart, someone who hasn’t given up or given in. Unflinchingly, Hanks will fix his gaze ahead even when he can’t see where he is going, knowing that the next 39 seconds will determine how his mission ends.
Then, KAPOW!! He puts the ship in motion, and it lurches wildly about for a seemingly endless half-minute plus nine seconds. The target Earth drifts in and out of focus in the small window the astronauts are looking through. One moment they see what they are aiming for; the next split second, they are on a path destined for destruction. When the 39-second burn is over, through the view of the spaceship’s tiny window, Earth is perfectly centered.
2 Corinthians 4:18 indicates that the steadying of our flailing hearts comes from looking at what we cannot see: fixing our gaze ahead on what we can’t see, yet paradoxically seeing with eyes of faith. We need the gift of faith to see what we cannot see; tenacity to hold on like the astronauts of Apollo 13 when we feel out of control. Sometimes we can’t see with our eyes what we just saw a fleeting second ago! In those times, we must “see” with the heart-vision of faith.
May God grant you much grace so you do not lose heart amid a present affliction. Through the strength He provides, steady your stance and fix your focus on the unseen but increasingly visible eternal glory. Through His enabling, do not lose heart in the middle of your crisis, trial, or uncertainty.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16
(Bonus and just for fun…we are hosting an Apollo 13 Movie Night this weekend to enjoy a theme-based dinner, playing 70’s music and a trivia game, then munching on astronaut snacks while watching the movie with friends. I have posted about this on Instagram if you’d like some ideas. Follow me there at @jillnoble.me)