Lander control has confirmed that it received a touch down signal. Philae is fine. The anchor did not shoot. The comet may be soft. Tank opening failure has been confirmed. It was not a sensor problem.
Were still good. Right?
This was live streaming of conversations taking place from the controllers at the European Space Agency on the landing of the probe Philae on the comet Churyumov-Geraimenko (commonly known as 67P). The landing was considered a success, yet it did not go completely according to plan. It did not land exactly where the scientists and engineers wanted it to and then to make matters worse, it bounced and landed lopsided against an incline and the anchors that were supposed to fire and secure the probe on the comets surface failed to do so. Furthermore, laying in the shadow of the small cliff the probes batteries quickly ran down and could not be recharged by the probes solar panels.
Philae has been on a 10 year, 500 million kilometre journey aboard the Rosetta space probe, from earth to rendezvous with the comet 67P. Quite an incredible human feat if you think about it. The part that is intriguing is that after years of planning and more years of travel the probe could have completely failed. No one involved could guarantee 100% success. No wonder, that even with some major failures everyone still saw it as a great success.
How much more astounding then is the salvation plan of God? This plan was worked out and put into motion before humans (or the earth) even existed. Ephesians 1:4-6 states categorically that we were chosen to be part of the relationship enjoyed by the Triune-God even before God created the earth on which we were put (Ephesians 1:4-6). Through the ages this space travel plan was hinted at or revealed to people. After the fall of mankind, God himself told Adam and Eve about this plan (Genesis 3:1-24; especially v15). Thousands of years after Adam and Eve, God reveals some of the plan to Isaiah in one of the most detailed descriptions up to that time (Isaiah 53). The whole chapter is summarised in verse 12 (which, although written before the event uses the past tense as if it had already happened). For he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
Amazingly, as only God can do, there was no Plan B or C. There was just the guaranteed, failure-proof, solid, indestructible Plan A. In other words, God did not have to quickly come up with plan B (in Jesus) when plan A (in Adam) failed. Jesus is the only plan and he is Plan A. At a precise point in human history God himself would travel millions of kilometres through space and land on planet earth (so to speak).
Maybe it is just human nature and our numerous failures, that we sometimes get this idea that God must have had some backup plan in case the one with Jesus on earth failed. Many people have the idea that the salvation plan in itself was a backup plan needed to rescue mankind, because they had unfortunately failed in the Garden of Eden. This is not so.
At no stage during the incarnation of the Son of God was there a comment or conversation that included the words, Failure, or, Were still good. Right? as was the case with the probe Philae. Sometimes we have this idea that at times Jesus came close to failing. For example, during his temptation by Satan in the wilderness (Matthew 4), or in the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus sweated blood (Mark 14; Luke 22).
Be assured that Satan had no chance against Jesus and the salvation plan of God. That evil cannot triumph over good. This is important to understand because if we think this way we might also start to think that maybe I as a person might not make it. There is a song called Spanish Train by Chris de Burgh, in which he sings about how Jesus and Satan are playing cards for the souls of humans. God wins a few hands (souls), but Satan cheats with the proverbial ace up the sleeve and wins most of the souls. Although a catchy tune, this is a pathetically ignorant song. Unfortunately there are many that think this way. The salvation plan is not a gamble as illustrated in a card game of poker. It is a blessed assurance.
It is true that at times we can look at this messed up world and feel that evil is triumphing over good. That maybe, just maybe, Gods salvation did fail or is failing. The Apostle John, while imprisoned on the island of Patmos, was privileged to be transported into the future and see the unfolding reality of Jesus returning to earth in triumph. He saw the future where all those who desired to be with Jesus were raised from the dead and caught up with those still alive to meet him in the clouds. He saw the coming reality of a new heaven and a new earth and where (as recorded in Revelation 21:4) he wipes every tear from our eyes and there is no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things have passed forever.
Control the mission has been a resounding success. Jesus has returned
Note: The author does not wish to create the false impression that Jesus and God the Father are somewhere far off in heaven. It needs to be clearly understood that although God is in heaven he is all around and ever present, just as is Jesus Christ. The focal idea that, unlike human plans, Gods plan never fails.