LogoNNN
The Norfolk and Norwich Christian community website

Opinion Column


Moon signpost 750AT

Love you to the Moon and back

Kevin Gotts remembers the Apollo moon landings, and is reminded of the enormity of God’s love for us.

The poetic statement "Love you to the Moon and back" has become popular adorning household plaques and gifts, especially amongst parents wishing to express their love and care to their children in a too-big-to-contain way.
 
Travelling to the moon and back has special significance this year, as 50 years ago, astronaut Neil Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 USA mission and became the first person to step and walk on the Moon. He famously said, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”
 
Despite the event being watched on TV by a fifth of the world’s population, this humble man, whom I had the privilege of meeting, also said, “It's a great thing for a man to walk on the moon. But it's a greater thing for God to walk on the earth.” It seems clear that he is referring to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who walked the earth for a short 33 years, and talked and practised love and forgiveness. 
 
And as we are about to celebrate Easter, let’s look behind its meaning. 
 
EarlyMorningCrossGood Friday is the Friday before Easter, which marks the death of Jesus by crucifixion.   He prayed, “Father forgive them,” directed at the soldiers and those in authority responsible for killing him, although he had done nothing wrong. Christians believe that Jesus was sent to earth as a man to die for everyone, with an invitation to follow him which requires a personal response. 
 
Laura Daigle, winner of a 2019 Grammy award, echoes powerful words in her song How Can It Be, “You plead my cause, You right my wrongs, You break my chains, You overcome, You gave Your life, To give me mine, You say that I am free.”
 
Easter Day follows, when Jesus rose from the dead, overcoming evil and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, he gives his followers hope and the promise of eternity with God.
 
Corrie Ten Boom, a survivor of the Ravensbrook concentration camp, said: “Do you know what hurts so very much? It's love. Love is the strongest force in the world, and when it is blocked that means pain. There are two things we can do when this happens. We can kill that love so that it stops hurting. But then of course part of us dies, too. Or we can ask God to open up another route for that love to travel.”
 
May your Easter be filled with love, joy and peace.
 
The signpost image is courtesy of Kevin Gotts.

KevinGotts640



Kevin Gotts is a South Norfolk photographer, small business owner and local Filling Station team member.

 
 
 

The views carried here are those of the author, not of Network Norwich and Norfolk, and are intended to stimulate constructive debate between website users. 

We welcome your thoughts and comments, posted below, upon the ideas expressed here. 

Click here to read our forum and comment posting guidelines


6894 views
To submit a story or to publicise an event please email: web@networknorwich.co.uk