Letters From Grandpa #63

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 63

Dearest Grandchild,

In our last letter we pointed out the way God’s creative power is manifest in the miniature. The complexity of even a tiny cell is beyond the ability of the finite mind to completely comprehend. In today’s letter we will reference God’s creative power in that which is too big for the finite mind. Today, let’s think about the stars.

As you know, “big” and “little” are relative terms. You are “big” in comparison to a baby but little in comparison with an elephant. A tree is “big” in comparison with an elephant, but “little” in comparison to a mountain. The earth is “big” in comparison to the moon, but “little” by comparison with the sun. Take a couple of minutes a watch this short video about the size of stars.

http://www.mbandf.com/parallel-world/our-sun-is-extremely-large-our-sun-is-fairly-small

When you open this link, scroll down and click on “Star Size Comparison”.

While the numbers widely vary, some say there are an estimated 10 billion galaxies in the observable universe! The number of stars in a galaxy also varies, but assuming an average of 100 billion stars per galaxy means that there are about 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (that’s 1 billion trillion) stars in the observable universe! Notice that we have been saying “the observable universe”. Even our most advanced telescopes can only see so far. Seth Borenstein updated a post 05/25/2011 indicating that the number of stars in the universe could be 300 Septillion, which is many more than scientists previously thought. The truth is, no body but God knows the number of the stars. Please consider that God not only knows the number of the stars, but has also given a name to every star.

“The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.” (Ps 147:2-5)

Even more amazing is that just as each person is unique, so is every star. “The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.” (1 Cor 15:41).

There are certainly a lot more stars than there are people, so if God knows the name of every star, He obviously knows your name too. More than that, He numbers the hairs on your head and not one sparrow falls to the ground without His knowledge (Matt.10:28 - 30).

Dr. Lynn Gardner tells the story of a little four year old girl who stood on a pier motioning for a large passenger boat to come and pick her up. The bystanders at first thought she was too

young and naive to realize how foolish she was. They were humbled, however, when the boat changed it’s course and welcomed her on board. The simple explanation for what took place is that the little girl’s father was the captain of that boat. If God is your Father, it is not childish to ask Him for whatever you want.

When Abram was 86 years old he became discouraged because he didn’t have a son. In the absence of a son, his servant Eliezer would inherit his estate. “Then the word of the Lord came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars — if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” (Gen 15:4-6)

Abram had seen those same stars since he was a small child. Yet, on this night, he saw them differently. On that night Abram achieved a new level of faith. On that night it dawned on him that if God could make the stars He can do anything. On that night his faith was “credited to him as righteousness”.

This kind of faith is such an integral part of salvation that this event is mentioned many times in Scripture. (See Rom. 4:3, 9, 20, 22; Gal. 3:6; Ja. 2:23; Etc.) Remember! Abram achieved this kind of faith by a serious consideration of the stars.

Perhaps the same can happen for you and me.

This next video lasts only a little over 3 minutes. As you reflect upon the way the heavens declare the glory of God, please remember that you are more important to God than a star.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK2pEGHd5JI

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce