Ok, since I know you just skimmed those sentences because they are cliche and have therefore lost meaning, let me repeat myself. God is magnificent. He is infinite.
I am currently taking astronomy and I am loving it! I love it not just because stars are cool and the universe is huge, but because God made stars cool and God made the universe huge. Because He is wonderful and because He can.
As I was worshipping tonight, God revealed something to me. It may seem small, but it's something I've wondered in the back of my mind for quite a while now. He is so faithful to answer even my small inquiries. Now let me explain.
When people first started studying outer space, they assumed the universe was geocentric. This means that the earth is basically the most important so it must be in the middle of everything. We thought that the planets, the moon, and even the sun revolved around us. Then we found this to be false. Scientists realized that the sun was actually the center and that we were one of many celestial objects which rotated around it. That was pretty humbling. We are literally not the center of anything. But then we found out more. Not only are we not the center, but our solar system is not even the center. Our solar system is one of thousands like it in the universe. There are so many bigger things than just the few planets in our solar system (which, by the way, is a couple billion miles long). We are not the center of the universe.
Ever since I was a kid, this didn't really make sense to me. Does that mean there are other life-forms in the universe? Did God make other beings that He also loves which we don't know about? If we're so important to God and if He really did create us, why aren't we the center? It honestly made me doubt my faith.
But that is so backwards! The only reason the universe is huge is because God is so big! God is sharing His majesty and glory. If the universe was finite and small, then we should question our faith in an all-powerful God. But not when it's so awesome (I'm literally full of awe!). The fact that the universe is unfathomable points to an unfathomably great God. In addition to proving His existence and handiwork, it reveals to us who God is and points to His character. He is completely and utterly beautiful. He is intricate and complex and passes all understanding. He is also a God of order.
In addition, it makes total sense that the earth is not the center of all because if it were, humans would be justified in thinking we are worthy. God purposefully made the brightest and biggest star in our solar system the center. It is a metaphor. The earth is dependent on the sun which provides us energy and warmth and light. Without it, we wouldn't even be in orbit. We would be freely floating in space just wandering. We are like the earth and God is our sun. It is such a beautiful thing to study creation and see so much purpose in how God formed every little detail.
Hopefully all that made sense. It may seem very random, but it is very meaningful to me. Studying the universe is such a humbling and wonderful thing. I highly advise it to be a lifelong endeavor for everyone.
