One Small Step

July 20, 1969, marked the landing of Apollo 11 on the moon.  I was a freshman in high school attending a summer school class.  The teacher turned on the television as we watched Neil Armstrong taking those first steps on the moon.  We heard those now famous words as he said: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. Armstrong tells everyone he intended to say: “one small step for “a” man…”.  When he took that small step, it marked an historic occasion when a man set foot in the heavens.

            I can’t help but think of another way we can think of Armstrong’s quote.  Jesus Christ being fully God existed in perfect harmony with the Father in the heavens.  He created the world and all that is in it and fashioned man in His own image.  God knew that man needed redemption.  So, Because of His great love for the world God sent His Son to make a giant leap to step out of heaven and come to the earth as a man.  Phil. 2:6-8 tells us: “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  The giant leap Jesus made involved His sacrificial death on the cross to pay for our sins.

            But what about the small step for a man?  It is called the step of faith.  When we believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and receive Him as our personal Savior we step into God’s family.  And one day, we will actually step into the place God has prepared for us in heaven. 

We may not be an astronaut or ever walk on the moon, but one day we can enjoy walking all over God’s heaven.  Our salvation is only one small step for a man but what a giant leap for Jesus Christ.  Have you taken that one small step of faith?