The WOW Factor

“Time” magazine has me thinking even more about God. Perhaps I should say even Bigger Thoughts about him. It happened in the course of my research yesterday. I came across information about the different studies that are being done in astronomy.

I came across the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) as I was reading articles on the Internet. The following is a quote from a Web Site that explains what SDSS is about.

“Simply put, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) is the most ambitious astronomical survey ever undertaken. When completed, it will provide detailed optical images covering more than a quarter of the sky, and a 3-dimensional map of about a million galaxies and quasars. As the survey progresses, the data are released to the scientific community and the general public in annual increments.”

“The SDSS uses a dedicated, 2.5-meter telescope on Apache Point, NM, equipped with two powerful special-purpose instruments. The 120-megapixel camera can image 1.5 square degrees of sky at a time, about eight times the area of the full moon. A pair of spectrographs fed by optical fibers can measure spectra of (and hence distances to) more than 600 galaxies and quasars in a single observation. A custom-designed set of software pipelines keeps pace with the enormous data flow from the telescope.”

“The SDSS completed its first phase of operations — SDSS-I — in June, 2005. Over the course of five years, SDSS-I imaged more than 8,000 square degrees of the sky in five bandpasses, detecting nearly 200 million celestial objects, and it measured spectra of more than 675,000 galaxies, 90,000 quasars, and 185,000 stars. These data have supported studies ranging from asteroids and nearby stars to the large scale structure of the Universe.”

Now Imagine with me… in the First Phase of their studies…

• imaged more than 8,000 square degrees of the sky in five bandpasses
• detected nearly 200 million celestial objects
• measured spectra of more than 675,000 galaxies, 90,000 quasars, and 185,000 stars
• the camera takes more than 600 galaxies and quasars in a single observation

When it is completed it will have looked at only 25% of the sky.

The Bible says…
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

In the NIV (which I have quoted) we use 10 ordinary words to describe this vast array of creation. There is nothing more powerful than “In the beginning God created…the heavens and the earth.” That is the WOW factor!

Again from the Book of Job…
Job 11:7 "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? 8 They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave —what can you know? 9 Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.

I suggested yesterday that we can take our biggest problems to God anytime. Take a hold of the handles on your greatest fears and drag them right up to the throne of God. It will take some effort in prayer… but you can do it in the name of Jesus. Then take one last look at the problem as you give it to God.

The Supreme God of the Universe, the One that was able to create all of it, the One that has all the design for solving the greatest problems of all the Universe, the One that is the most creative… will place his mighty hand on your problem and simply begin to work things out.

He requires some simple things from us…
1.) Faith
2.) Obedience
3.) Ask in the name of his son Jesus

Check out these promises and statements from scripture…
Faith…
Matthew 17:20He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Obedience…
1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied:"Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

Jesus said… about asking…
John 14:14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.