It’s difficult for us. We have such a childlike limited view of time and space; we don’t understand and can’t comprehend the vastness of our universe. The sheer distances involved in interstellar space are seen more through science fiction than science. The entertainment industry has offered us “Beam me up, Scotty,” and “wormholes” for space travel, when in reality the nearest stars to us are still trillions of miles away. Astronomers invented a unit of measurement to help us with context called the light-year. The light-year is equal to the distance that light, traveling at more than 186,000 miles per second, would travel in one year. It’s not speed, it’s distance. The perspective for this measurement comes when we think about dying stars. If a star 30 light-years away explodes and dies, humans would see no evidence of this for 30 years. We would look up at night and see the light from that particular star as though it still remained, yet it has been obliterated from existence.
The life of the star shines on, when in reality it has ceased to be a star.
It is just as difficult for some people to grasp the reality of a Creator who cares for all He created and actually is aware the moment this created star ceased to exist. We can’t even grasp the concept of distance to the star, much less how it might be created by a Sovereign entity who also holds our future in His hands. Yet much around us in this world, a world much closer to home, tells us of such a One. All of nature holds mysteries as complex as the distance to the stars. The diversity of human individuals involved in the complexity of one species gives us pause and makes us aware of the Creator.
How easy it would be to just ignore out of ignorance that the One who made the stars and gave them each a name, also wants to be involved in your life on a daily basis. Such a simple thing to avoid the idea that a person can know this Creator, because they don’t think he exists, or they don’t think he cares, or they are afraid of One so powerful. This same Creator made it crystal clear of His intentions for us to know Him by demonstrating His nature and character to us in a Man just like us. A human body encapsulated the essence of God Himself and spoke on God’s behalf regarding His desire to call us His family. This One offers all of mankind the opportunity to transcend this natural habitat one day and call The kingdom of the One our home. We cannot comprehend the vastness of this offer any more than we can comprehend just how far light travels in one year. Try for just one moment to think outside your box. Allow your mind and your heart to be open to God’s word and His desire for your happiness. Trust in the One.
Jim Wilkins is the Pastor of Fellowship at the Ranch. We meet each Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. in the clubhouse.