Comet Lulin

Then God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so. Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. So the evening and the morning were the fourth day. Genesis 1:14 - 19





Comet Lulin blew through town last night and I got to see it.

Well, it didn't exactly come to town, it was "in the neighborhood." More specifically, it was 38 million miles away, but what's 38 million miles between friends.

February 24th marked the closest it will have come to our part of the universe. In fact, scientists believe this is it's first trip our way. Of course, they can't really say that for sure, since it could have swung by once or twice before it was observed. What's more, they really don't know where it's heading now.

Astronomers have been tracking Lulin since it was "discovered" in 2007, by a 19 year old Chinaman named Quanzhi Ye.

As I strained to see Lulin ( I was in Fairfax, VA and city lights are not conducive to watching objects 38 million miles away), I had a few thoughts go through my mind. For your reading pleasure, here they are:

1. Scientists may have only "discovered" Lulin in 2007, but God has known where it was the whole time. This is remarkable in itself because -

2. Did I mention that at it's closest it was 38 million miles away? To you and I, that is a mind numbing distance. I have to stop and pee and stretch my legs when I drive to Myrtle Beach. That, to me, is a long drive - and it's only about 8 hours.

To God 38 million miles is really insignificant. It may as well be 38 feet. He not only keeps track of this single comet in that vast amount of space, He keeps track of everyone of those bright shiny objects "up there" and He knows every one of them by name! Not just the really cool ones like Betelgeuse, but the ones we haven't even named "down here." There are so many, they've been given numbers to identify them. Next time you go to the DMV and draw "D-89," think about that.

3. The universe has physical and chemical laws that it obeys. Scientists can track the orbits of planets and comets and could tell us with certainty in 2007 that Lulin would not only NOT collide with earth, thereby NOT literally "blowing through town," but that it's closest approach would be on 2/24/09 at 38 million miles. Pretty impressive, eh? And made possible because the God who created those celestial objects on day 4 of the creation week also created the physical and chemical laws that made those observations possible.

4. When I think about the sheer immensity of it all, it gives me pause. It makes me stop and think of the awesomeness of God. Of His power. Of His authority. Of His enormity. And that's the point of it: "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)

Like Job, when we consider ourselves compared to God, we are rather pathetic. Compare our knowledge with His. Compare our achievements with His. Compare our power with His. Compare our abilities with His. And yet, we want to tell Him how things should be? We complain to Him about the way things are? Really?! Start in Job 37 and see what God has to say.

5. But most importantly, the same God that created and maintains the heavens, the all powerful, all knowing, who lacks for nothing because He created and owns everything, cares for you and I. "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)

He cares more about us than any other aspect of His creation (Matt. 6:26; Luke 12:6-7). He cares about every aspect of our lives (Matt. 6:31-32). He cares about everyone of us (John 3:16).

Why is that? Why would He be mindful of us? What have we done to deserve any more attention than, for example, the comet Lulin? The answer is - nothing. We have done nothing, and can't give anything, to deserve the attention. God gives it simply because He loves us. We are the crown jewels of His creation. And what does He ask of us? Our love. Our devotion. Our obedience.

To me, it seems a small price to pay, a small gift to give, to One so loving, so kind, and so awesome. I hope you think so, too.