What Can God Do? Just Look to the Heavens and See ...
Nothing helps me put myself in the proper perspective in this vast universe faster than lying on my back at night peering into the dark night sky and pondering all that lies just beyond what I can see with my naked eyes or my best astronomy binoculars. Conversely, nothing puts me at the center of my own universe faster than difficulty inserting itself into my earthly world.
The first makes me feel simultaneously small yet strangely secure, while the latter only serves to keep me feeling rather underappreciated or personally attacked.
Yet, in both scenarios, God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present, all the time.
Consider the Carina Nebula (pictured above). According to The Planet, "It was first discovered in 1752. The nebula formation includes the Milky Way's brightest star, WR 25 in the Trumpler 16-star cluster. The Carina Nebula is one of the largest nebula in its class (which is “large, diffuse nebulae”) and one of the best to study for aspiring and established astronomers due to its brightness, location and diversity." Carina Nebula - Facts and Info - The Planets
Did you know that there are too many nebulae to count? We humans simply cannot see them all, regardless of our vast technological advances. Thousands have been observed, identified, and counted in our galaxy alone. It is mind-boggling to consider the sheer number - and beauty - of just the nebulae across the cosmos, never mind all the other parts of God's cosmic creation.
This should not surprise us, as scripture tells us that God is over all of this vastness.
Job 9:9-10, NLT
“He made all the stars-the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the southern sky. [10] He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles.”
Colossians 1:16-17, NLT
“… for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see- such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. [17] He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.”
Hebrews 1:3, NLT
“The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command …”
Elon Musk may take credit for hanging Starlink in the sky, visible to the naked eye at night, but only God can create something as magnificent as the Carina Nebula. Google the James Web Telescope, Carnina Nebula and see it for yourself. It is beautiful.
Jesus Christ, as part of the Godhead of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, continually sustains creation and keeps it from falling into utter chaos. That last part may be a little anxiety producing, as it is not a preferred activity to think of creation falling into utter chaos. But knowing that Jesus Christ is sustaining all of creation is that much more assuring.
The truth is that the God who works on a cosmic scale is the same God who works in the details of our mortal lives.
Isaiah 41:10, NLT
“Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
Ecclesiastes 3:11, NLT
“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end.”
Matthew 28:20, NLT
“Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
These scriptures all say the same thing – God is with us and God is active in our lives. In fact, we cannot even see the whole scope of what God does from beginning to end.
Here is one very important example.
Today I had the privilege of sitting with about twenty-seven members of our family circle while my cousin baptized his two young grandsons. In December, I sat in that same church, in the very same row, while these two young men participated in a Christmas program. A strange thing happened that night. Well, when I consider that our God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present, it really isn't strange at all.
During one of the songs that night, in which the words focused us on the coming kingdom of Christ, I saw a little glimpse of heaven. At first, I thought of several of our family who weren't with us that evening because they were already in the presence of their Lord. As I pondered what they might be doing at that very moment, I looked at our two young cousins and God gave me a blessing. I caught a momentary glimpse of heaven, on one certain day, when all of our family would be in an unbroken circle with the Lord. And I saw those two young guys with us!
It was glorious. And it is proof of what the writer says in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has planted eternity in the human heart ..." Yet, we cannot always see what God is up to, can we?
Today, we closed the worship service singing these words (the link to the song is included, it is well worth your time to listen to it):
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
Turn your eyes to the hillside
Where justice and mercy embraced
There the Son of God gave His life for us
And our measureless debt was erased
Turn your eyes to the morning
And see Christ the Lion awake
What a glorious dawn, fear of death is gone
For we carry His life in our veins
We adore You, behold You, our Savior ever true
Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to You
Turn your eyes to the heavens
Our King will return for His own
Amanda Williams, a youth pastor and Christian writer, says, “God sees all of time and space – the past, present and future are ever before Him (Psalm 90:4). This means that even when we can’t perceive what God is doing, He remains actively at work behind the scenes. God reminds us in Scripture that His thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). He works on a grand, cosmic scale while we operate at a very local, earthly level. When we don’t immediately see what God is up to, we must remember that He loves us and knows what He’s doing even when we don’t.” God Is Working Even When We Don'T See It - Christian Website
King David says it like this.
Psalm 139:1-16, NLT
"O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. [2] You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. [3] You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. [4] You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. [5] You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. [6] Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!"
"[7] I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! [8] If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. [9] If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, [10] even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. [11] I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night- [12] but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you."
"[13] You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. [14] Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-how well I know it. [15] You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. [16] You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed."
The God who works on a cosmic scale is the same God who works in the details of our mortal lives.
We do not fear, for we are not alone. God is with us. He strengthens us and He holds us. We may not be able to see the entire scope of God's work - we cannot even see all the nebulae in the cosmos, but they are there.
Through it all, Jesus assures us that He and His Father are always at work. Jesus didn't even let Sabbath work restrictions stop Him.
John 5:16-17, NLT
“So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. [17] But Jesus replied, "My Father is always working, and so am I."
If Jesus didn't let Sabbath work restrictions stop Him from doing good when He lived and walked among us, we can rest assured that He holds us securely in His hands now.
God is at work.
Do you need a reminder of this?
Go out on a clear night and look up at the night sky. The same God who holds the Carina Nebula in place, who created galaxies and constellations with His powerful Word, is the same exact God who bends down to hear the whisper of your heart. (Psalm 116:1-2)
He is holding the cosmos together, and right now, He is holding you.
God is not passive. He does not sit back while your life, your family, or this world spins out of control. Even when you are in the valley of darkness, or the diagnosis is scary, or you can’t see past the next step or the next day or the next problem, God is at work.
God is weaving all of it together for our ultimate good and for His ultimate glory.
What can God do? Go out on a clear night, lie on your back, and peer into the night sky. Our God is grace and glory. Our God is love and truth.
And we carry His life in our veins!
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