Look Toward Heaven and Count the Stars
Dear Pali Pres Members and Friends,
I cannot tell you how mesmerized I have been by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Since its first images were released on June 11, I have been soaking up all the information I can about the JWST, how it came to be developed, and what these new images are revealing. Granted I am understanding only about 10% of what I am reading and seeing, but even that 10% is absolutely blowing my mind.
Perhaps most astonishing to me is what JWST’s first “deep field image” is telling us about how BIG the universe is. The image (copied below) identifies thousands of beautiful galaxies, with each galaxy estimated to contain 300 million to 10 billion Earth-like planets. Crazy! And that is just from one image which (get this) covers an area of the sky that you can blot out by holding a grain of sand at arm's length. I just cannot wrap my brain around that!
Seeing these amazing images and reading about the vastness of our universe has led me to ponder, once again, the mysterious and awesome nature of God. I can’t help but consider all that exists and feel incredibly small and humbled. My mind meditates on Bible verses like Psalm 139: 17-18 which says, “How incomprehensible to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! I try to count them—they are more than the sand!” Indeed, God’s ways and thoughts and creative powers are beyond human comprehension.
And yet, scripture also tells us that even the number of hairs on our heads are known to God, so we need not worry about anything. How can it be both? How can our universe be so HUGE, and yet God knows and cares about each one of us in such a personal, intimate way?
Holding the paradox of feeling so small in the vastness of creation and yet so special and beloved by the Creator is a fun challenge. Trusting in both truths, at the same time, keeps us incredibly humble when it comes to our needs, problems, and fears.
And yet, it should also make us feel incredibly special. The Creator of the estimated 200 billion galaxies in our universe loves us! He loves us just as we are, unconditionally and forever. Let us all savor that bit of mind-blowing good news!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Matt
