Big me, little universe. Isn’t that how we usually see things?
When we think of wonder, it’s pretty easy to think about the stars. That is, unless you live where I do and don’t see them very much at all. But do you remember when you were in the desert, or high on some mountain? It’s almost like there’s more light than dark. One can wonder, “How did they get there?” Or more, “How did I get here?”
God said to Abraham, “Count the stars . . . if you can.”*
I love that, “if you can.”
Who can? The more you look, the more you see. Astronomers get closest to it. They deal with such massive numbers, I wonder that they don’t walk around all day in a daze. Or all night.
Some time ago I heard there are 100 billion stars in our galaxy . . . and there are 100 billion galaxies . . . that we know of.
That we know of?!!!!
That’s a big disclaimer. Makes me wonder whether we know very much at all.
A physics and astronomy professor friend of mine tells me there are 400 billion stars in the Milky Way. That’s 400,000,000,000 in our own homey galaxy. And, while ours is not small, it’s not as large as your average galaxy out there in the night sky (or day sky, if we could see it) .
A google search shows the latest count for galaxies is now around two trillion.
A trillion looks like this: 1,000,000,000,000. Now double that.
Then consider the massive sized stars, the incredible distances between them, that new stars and galaxies are being discovered all the time, that the whole universe is continuing to expand outward, and accelerating . . .
“Count the stars, Abraham, if you can.”
It’s all too much for me. I think I’ll go make a sandwich.
______________
*Genesis 15:5
I just remembered I had this painting, an attempt of the edge of the Milky Way. Seems I should paint in a tiny little sign down near the corner, “YOU ARE HERE.”
That would put things in perspective.
Sort of.
Our Lives Together
Its About Life
10:47 am
I’m reminded of the old song,
‘It took a miracle to hang the stars in place…
But when He saved my soul, cleansed and made me whole,
It took a miracle of love and grace.’
11:42 am
I am very blessed to live in an area that has no street lights,
the stars are amazing. On my first birthday living here, there
was a great meteor shower which I had never seen before, so I definitely thought God is making fireworks to celebrate.
I am blessed.
Thank you Hyatt for the your blank-slate
12:10 pm
To me, the most awesome thing about the vastness of the stars is that is that the heavens are the only thing we can really look at today that are just as they appeared to Adam and Eve, Moses, and Jesus. We get to stare and wonder the same moon that Jesus prayed under in Gethhsemane, the same Bear and Pleiades that Job spoke of, and the same Orion that were mentioned in the book of Amos. The stars are just as vast and wondrous as they appeared on that very first day….and no need for a telescope. Amazing.
1:15 pm
I love it. Please never stop sharing your wondering.
2:24 pm
Good one Hyatt… will have to pass along to our missionary friend that loves all things “space.” Thanks!
3:14 pm
Thank you!!! Just great! One time when son Mark was pre-teen, we took our lawn chairs up on a big mountain plateau near midnight close to where we lived during the August meteor showers……we started laughing after we realized all we could say,”Oh no! Look at that one!!!! How beautiful! Etc.”. How could anything be so spectacular as God’s sky?
3:29 pm
That was funny! Well I am here! In La Quinta–it must be that teeeny star in the middle! Isn’t it awesome that though we are such a small part of the universe, we are a gigantic part of God’s heart! The Lord bless you, my friend.
8:56 am
So wonder-ful, again, Hyatt. Well on your way to your next book, Wonder. Please don’t make it the 100.00 version. Love, Your sister PS you need to add the link and a small image of Still the Storm at the end of each of these entries. We need reminders. We’re a forgetful people. Like the children of Israel.
2:49 pm
Thanks for the wondering thought Hyatt. It never stops expanding!? … that makes it even more amazing! Hard to get my head around but makes sense that God never stops creating. A sandwich is a good idea! ;-)
12:05 am
What a gorgeous painting Hyatt! I love how it leads the eye up to the right into an explosion of light. Really wonderful. It’s funny that just before I read this I was out on our balcony looking at the stars and the full moon with my husband and puppy, We could see just a few stars, but what took our breath away was the intermittent flash of bioluminescence from the red tide as the waves hit the sand along Capistrano Bay. We are blessed with beauty on all sides aren’t we? Just need to remember to look. And see.