ROY ADAMS

y now the whole world has seen it. A vapor trail in the morning sky over Texas, an ominous sign of yet another horrendous international tragedy. And on February 1, 2003, America and the world once again became transfixed to a single event gripping our global community. "The Columbia is lost," proclaimed a shaken President Bush.

As Seventh-day Adventists, we live in the world. We share in its noble aspirations and endeavors. We participate in its joys and sorrows. Our hearts go out to those bereaved of loved ones in this horrible catastrophe. And with American people and the whole world, we joined together in deep mourning. Something about tragedy makes us one.

In retrospect-especially as Christians---we're bound to think of lessons learned or reinforced. The uncertainty of human life, for example. Who can forget the haunting last communication between the Columbia and shuttle control in Houston:

"Columbia, Houston, we see your tire pressure messages and we did not copy your last . . . ."

"Roger, buh . . ."

It emphasizes once again just how easily human life can stop-literally in midsentence, or even before we get that far.

The multi-cultural composition of the crew was something to remark upon. And what I personally liked about the NASA approach is that for them, apparently, it was no big deal. Had it not been for the tragedy, millions of us might never have noticed; NASA did not call attention to it. Would the day ever come when we, as a church, could be as low-keyed and matter-of-fact about inclusiveness? I was impressed. That's how the church should look-only more so-as we face together earth's final crisis.

Like you, I watched film footage of the crew in happier times. I studied their faces. I imagined the unnumbered hours of training that each of them had accumulated. Now all that, in a way of thinking, is lost-all that awesome talent gone. What if there was no hereafter? How obscene would be the human predicament?

I thought too how quickly the entire world could focus on the same event. And I dream of the day when something that can bring God's final message of love to a dying world will happen with the same rapidity. I believe it will come-not through some global tragedy, but through a global outpouring of the mighty third person of the Godhead.

Finally, one cannot help noting, especially now with talk of war in the air, the sense of nervousness and apprehension gripping the world at this critical hour. Ours is the privilege to point men and women everywhere to the one stable factor in the universe: God.

"Above the distractions of the earth He sits enthroned; all things are open to His divine survey; and from His great and calm eternity He orders that which His providence sees best" (The Ministry of Healing, p. 417).

With faith in this God, our hope burns bright. "Climb high," someone said, "climb far; your goal the sky, your aim, the stars." That's our destiny.

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Roy Adams is an associate editor of the Adventist Review.