I found through a series of blog links today that this song is actually hymn #20 in the current edition of the Baptist Hymnal. This is in no way a commentary on Baptists or anything like that but gee whiz... if this song came up during a worship service, I do believe I would have to excuse myself for a few minutes to go crack up laughing in the lobby.
On the other hand, it is pretty amazing that someone was able to write a worship song including the words "spacecraft", "rocket", "astronauts", "outerspace", and "thrust".
God of earth and outer space, God of love and God of grace
Bless the astronauts who fly, As they soar beyond the sky
God who flung the stars in space, God who set the sun ablaze,
Fling the spacecraft thro the air, Let man know your presence there.
God of atmosphere and air, God of life and planets bare,
Use man’s courage and his skill As he seeks your holy will.
God of depth and God of height, God of darkness, God of light,
As man walks in outerspace, Teach him how to walk in grace.
God of man’s exploring mind, God of wisdom, God of time,
Launch us from complacency To a world in need of thee.
God of power, God of might, God of rockets firing bright.
Hearts ignite and thrust within, Love for Christ to share with men.
God of earth and outerspace, God who guides the human race,
Guide the lives of seeking youth In their search for heavnly truth.
God who reigns below, above, God of universal love,
Love that gave Nativity, Love that gave us Calvary.
LOL
Posted by: Andrew | July 29, 2008 at 01:54 PM
As someone who grew up in a Southern Baptist musical household, I never heard the end of how ludicrous this hymn was. It's actually in the 1975 edition of the Baptist Hymnal, and was, thankfully, left out of the '91 edition.
My dad had a professor in seminary who actually knew the guy, Thad Roberts, Jr., who wrote the lyrics. I was never told what that professor and ol' Thad spoke about over the phone after the hymnal's publication, but you can imagine one friend lovingly telling another that he was gravely mistaken.
As for Joseph Parry, whose tune is used - every time someone sings it, a wild onion sprouts over his grave. You do the math.
Posted by: whipple | July 29, 2008 at 03:14 PM
I'm sorry to say that it also isn't in the 2008 edition of Baptist Hymnal. http://lifeway.com/worshipproject
Posted by: Patrick | July 30, 2008 at 01:59 PM