Regular readers of the Ewellogy know that I don’t miss many space anniversaries, but I missed one last week: the 35th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, January 28, 1986.

I remember the day well since I was working in Space Command Headquarters in Colorado Springs. We all gathered around televisions to learn what we already knew: that the Space Shuttle Challenger, carrying, among others, schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe, had crashed shortly after launch. 

A January 30 article in the Wall Street Journal recounts that Peggy Noonan wrote President Reagan’s speech to the nation containing these memorable words:

The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave.

I read about the 35th anniversary of the tragedy the same day I read Acts 13 and 14. Here’s a typical sentence:

The Jewish leaders stirred up a violent mob against Paul and Barnabas, including many prominent and wealthy people of the city. They persecuted them and ran them out of town. (Acts 13.50, TPT)

A case could probably be made from scripture that riots and rioters are ALWAYS wrong. I’m still stunned that so-called Christians, “righteous” people would take part in a riot. Please see Saturday’s blog if you missed it. 

In Acts 13 and 14 (and perhaps the whole of Acts), the pattern is similar:

• Paul arrives at a city and goes to the synagogue.
• He preaches the gospel to Jews.
• Some Jews believe, some don’t.
• The ones who don’t stir up enough people to cause a riot and run Paul out of town.

Exciting times! The Word is increasing, and there is opposition. The Kingdom is advancing, and Satan doesn’t like his territory encroached on.

When they had preached the gospel to [Derbe] and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. (Acts 14.21, 22, ESV, emphasis mine)

“Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” sounds a bit like “The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave.”

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6.10 – 12, ESV)