Look Up At the Stars

Space Shuttle Endeavour
Credit: Wikipedia Commons

 As I write this I'm sitting here drinking coffee from a mug I bought at the California Science Center where I was able to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour and some of the most amazing pictures from the Hubble Telescope.

For as long as I can remember I've loved space. I've had the pleasure of meeting a couple of Astronauts along the way too, Commander Chris Hadfield and Colonel Jeff Williams. I've looked up into space, studied it in books but these men have experienced it. Both of these men are amazing, they've experienced incredible things and seen things I can only imagine and yet have vastly different understandings of what they've seen. Commander Hadfield spacewalked through the Northern Lights and he saw the results of chance and evolution. Colonel Williams' first spacewalk (out of many) lasted 7 hours and during his time in space he saw the hand of an infinite, almighty God.

Carina Nebula (JWST) credit: NASA

Why am I wasting your time reminiscing about my love of space? Well, just a few days ago pictures from the newest space telescope, James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) were revealed. I'm sure you've probably seen them and heard the details so I won't bore you with all of that. Except to say, aren't they amazing! These images are the clearest images we've ever had and take us deeper into the universe than we've been.

With every new endeavour into space we're left completely discombobulated. The more we find the more we discover to find. It is in every way overwhelming. Sometimes, God even uses the vastness and power of the universe to emphasize how small we are.

Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, Or loose the bands of Orion? (Job 38:31)

When God does use the universe to show how small we are it's never to reveal our insignificance, that we are of small value. Neither is it just to show off how big and awesome and powerful He is. God is never just saying, "Look how big I am, bow before me!" I think Jeremiah understood God's purpose in all of this when he wrote Jeremiah 32:17

Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:

God uses the vastness of the universe to overwhelm us...with comfort. God sees all, knows all and is in control of all (Isa. 45:12). He can take care of you, He's got this under control. NOTHING! is too hard for God. You may feel overwhelmed right now but God never is. Isaiah 40:26 calls us to look up and see the universe God has created and know that it expresses His power and understand He knows each detail personally. He created it all with the power of His word (Ps. 33:6) and it is with His power that everything is sustained. So why does God say that? Read the rest of the passage and you'll see God is reminding us that in all of this God has not lost sight of us, He sees us (Isa. 40:27) and He knows what we endure, our weariness and our struggles. You are not lost in the vastness. More powerfully than that God tells us that the God who created and sustains the universe has the power to sustain you too (Isa. 40:29). When you are exhausted God is not. When you feel like you can't go on, God sees and is there to carry you on. This passage ends with this great encouragement,

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint. (Isa. 40:31)

How can this verse bring us such comfort? How can we know that God will sustain us and give us strength to endure? Look up at the stars. The God who can energize a universe can strengthen you.

To look out at this kind of creation and not believe in God is to me impossible. It just strengthens my faith. - John Glenn

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