The Stars
From the earliest part of my youth, I was fascinated with outer space. I loved the books my mother would bring from the library. There were pictures of vast and lonely landscapes, beautiful vistas of stars and colorful planets, all swathed and surrounded by the void. As I grew into reading, I enjoyed (and still do) science fiction and things dealing with the bizarre and unknown. I liked Science Fiction Theater and The Twilight Zone. When Star Trek premiered, I couldn’t get enough. The vastness of the expanse with its seeming infinite variations tugs at my longing to know.
Star Trek and its many iterations represent the dream of humanism. It is a vain hope for the ascension of mankind in a universe without God. It plays on mankind’s capacity to explore, discover, invent, and expand. It is entertaining. On the other hand, the reality of God and His creation beckon us to realms far beyond the dreams of mankind.
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? (Psalm 8:3-4).
First, think of God the Creator and sustainer of all. Think of One who has unlimited awareness. Not a sparrow dies without Him knowing. The hairs of our heads are numbered.
You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, [Sheol] behold, You are there (Psalms 139:5-8) .
The greatness of God’s power is amply stated throughout the Bible.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? (Isaiah 40:12).
God said of Himself, “Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together” (Isaiah 48:13).
From these verses we ascertain there is not a cave on the farthest shore of space which He does not know. Nor is there a place in the eternal glory or in the region of death of which He is not aware. God Almighty!
Concerning our place, the psalmist asked,“What is man that you are mindful of him?” It causes us to consider God has a plan for us.
For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him?” (Hebrews 2:5-6).
The Spirit of God reiterated this scripture from Psalms so we might know how far His plan extends – “the world to come.”
“You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet” (Hebrews 2:7-8).
In this case “all things” is without limitation. It points to our potential.
But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2:8-10).
“Many sons to glory”: the fulfillment is in the world of God’s glory, thus “all things” are under the feet of God’s children. This promise is reflected when Jesus said: “Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5), which is to say, the ultimate outcome of God’s eternal purpose on this planet belongs to the meek. This is beyond imagination.
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure (1 John 3:1-3).
What does it mean to be like Him and to see Him as He is? Here is one indication: our fulfillment will be to share understanding and appreciation on the level with God. Undoubtedly, there is more to it than that. This is stated in Romans:
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together (Romans 8:16-17).
However, being a joint-heir with Christ depends on our hope. According to the scripture, hope in Him purifies us to be pure “as He is pure.”
Hope in God comes because we value His promises with a higher estimation of anything that might be attained in this world. This is how “faith is the substance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1). Likewise, faith is “the evidence of things not seen” through the actions of those who embrace the promises of God. Do we want the beauty of His promises more than our small dreams? If so, we prioritize our affairs accordingly.
Avoiding sin is only a part of it.
Therefore, strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:12-14).
Sometimes we hear that through the research and explorations of science we see greater and more wondrous displays of what God has done. This may be so. However, the appreciation for God’s handiwork is no different for the faithful today than that of our brethren, who from ancient times simply opened their eyes to the power of God.
The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard (Psalm 19:1-3).
The awe we experience through beholding this vast creation and our desire to comprehend it reflects our desire to ascend. The whole of what God has done is designed to be placed at our feet. In other words, it is all for our sakes here in this world.
Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come–all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s (1 Corinthians 3:21-23).