I'm thinking this morning about the Apostle Paul. And Sandra Bullock. Maybe I've had too much Starbucks. I'm rereading the Book of Acts, where Paul begins his missionary journeys and frequently encounters strong, even violent, resistance. In Thessalonica, angry Jews who oppose the teachings of Paul and Silas start a riot and come looking for them. Unable to find them, they bring Jason and other Christian supporters before the city officials with this accusation: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here" (Acts 17:6). All over the world, they said. But look at a map of Paul's missionary journeys. "All over the world" was just a tiny fraction of the world as we know it today. They had no idea how vast their universe was.
Fast forward to Ms. Bullock and Gravity, which is a breathtaking movie set in outer space—but it's not about space travel at all. It's about loneliness and isolation. It's about the profound sorrow that comes from feeling disconnected and finding no meaning in the world around you. What better backdrop for such a story than limitless space? Even scientists who have devoted their lives to unraveling the mysteries of the universe have explored only a tiny fraction of what's out there. We have no idea how vast our universe is.
There's a passage in the Gospel of John in which Nicodemus is struggling with the concept of being "born again":
"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus,
"and do you not understand these things?
I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know,
and we testify to what we have seen,
but still you people do not accept our testimony.
I have spoken to you of earthly things
and you do not believe;
how then will you believe
if I speak of heavenly things?"
(John 3:10-12)
We have no idea how vast His universe is.
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