Many watched their televisions last week as Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to earth after being stranded for nine months on the International Space Station.

I was glad for their safe return, as I am certain their families were.

I found myself floating back in time to December 24, 1968. Along with millions of other people i was glued to the TV as Apollow 8 was on mission to be the first spacecraft to orbit the moon. Commander Frank Borman announced, “Apollo 8 has a message for you.”

Major Bill Anders began reading, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…”

Back on earth, NBC’s David Brinkly said in a reverent comment, “If my memory serves me correctly, he’s reading fromt he first chapter of Genesis.”

Captain James A. Lovell, Jr. continued, “And God called the light day…”

Col. Borman concluded, “And God said, let the waters under the heaves be gathered…” Then he signed off, “and from the crew of Apollo 8, we pause with good night, good luck, a merry Christmas, and God bless all of you–all of you on the good earth.”

Those who heard the live telecast from this first moon-orbiting space probe will never forget how it captured the imagination of the whold world. To this day I still remembering being glued to our black and while television captivated by those men in space.

“Christianity Today” even compared it to Samuel F.B. Morse’s first wireless message from Nehemiah 23:23, “What hath God wrought!”

Contrary to popular belief, the astronauts did not read from Bibles, as they would have required fireproof plastic covering and been difficult to get to. so just before launchtime, the three decided to type the Genesis selection right onto their flame-resistant flight plans.

Over 100, 000 letters poured into NASA’s Houston headquarters, with praise for the Bible reading running 1,000 to 1. The New York Board of Rabbis said, “Your reading from Genesis evoked a responsive chord in the hearts of all spiritually attuned people throughout the good earth….”

A was a little disheartening not to hear God mentioned at all last week as Butch and Suni returned safely to earth.

A few verses from Genesis were appropriately typed on the flight plan of Apollo 8. All of the Bible, typed indelibly into our lives, would make a good flight plan for humanity.

This is my story…