The One About Telescopes, God’s Love and Our Place in the Universe

Dear West Family

Perspective is such a helpful thing. In almost every situation in life it is helpful to step away from something that seems massive when close but significantly less so when there is a little bit of time and distance between us and it. Perspective has a right-sizing effect. It is why (in part) I believe that God made the universe - and our planet’s place in it - the way that He did. In doing so He gave us daily opportunities to look up to the sky and to understand the mind bending reality that we are absolutely tiny and yet divinely loved and purposed. 

I love looking up at starry night skies. I am not good at knowing what I am looking at but I love it nonetheless. I am not one of those guys who can see the scorpion or the bull or whatever other shape there is up there. I nod along when asked, but I have no idea what they are looking at. What I do see though is size, which always has the double impact of humbling and encouraging me. It humbles me because my life is not the most significant thing happening in the universe. It probably isn’t even the most significant thing happening in my house, and it is good for me to remember that when faced with the size and scope of God’s work in the cosmos. And yet, when I look out at that size, I also feel encouraged because I realize afresh what it means that God knows me, and loves me, and has plans and purposes for my life and flourishing. Little old me! On this little old rock in a far corner of a (relatively) small galaxy far, far away from almost anything else. And He loves me.

This is what has been in my mind this week as the first images from the James Webb telescope have been released into the world. I have no real idea what I am looking at when I look at them, but it is revealing the scale and the scope of the universe, and it’s, um, quite large. Exoplanets, galaxy clusters, and something called cosmic cliffs which are all thousands of light years away! I am no scientist, but that sounds far away, even at Ludicrous Speed. 

God’s power is immense. Psalm 19 says …The heavens declare the glory of God, And the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

It’s His handiwork! Galaxy clusters are like a small handiwork project for God.
How powerful and big is our God?

I have always loved the poetic flow of the creation account in Genesis 1 and there is no better line than the one that we find at the back end of Genesis 1:16.

It says, “He made the stars also.” (NASB) 

Also!! Moses is like, “Oh those. Yeah he also made those!”

Dear friends, as we get the opportunity to explore the scope and scale and wonder of the universe, use it as an opportunity to step back a little bit from what you are facing, and see if it doesn’t change the size of the obstacle in front of you. He made the stars also, and it wasn’t hard for Him, and so loving and caring for you isn’t hard for Him either. What a thing it is to be loved by a God who makes galaxy clusters and cosmic cliffs and exoplanets and human beings like you and me, on a planet perfectly designed to sustain them. God’s handiwork is on display in the heavens above, and in the miracle of your life.

Enjoy.

The song this week is a little abstract but I have always loved it. It is from a San Francisco band called Train. They write a weird combo of cheesy pop and then masterpieces like this.

“When I look to the sky, something tells me you’re here with me.”

Amen.

Sing Together Tuesdays with Train - When I Look To The Sky

Press on,
Ross