This past spring scientists discovered evidence of what is believed to be the oldest observed object in the universe. What they detected was a short blast of energy, quickly followed by a flood of infrared radiation. A star had exploded deep in space.
When the information was analyzed and all the numbers were crunched, astronomers were stunned. Theenergy appears to come from the oldest object ever observed, a star that exploded 13 billion years ago. At the time the star burst, scattering its energy across the heavens, the universe was still very young. It was so far away from us, though, that it took 13 billion years for the signal to reach us.
As luck would have it, the day after I heard this story on the radio I took my dog Sputnik for a walk. Our walk took us past the Evangelical Free Church, and
was delighted to see that the church sign had just one word on it, “Astonishing!”
That word could describe a million things. It could describe the discovery of a star that exploded when the universe was just forming. It could describe the simple yet amazing beauty of an early autumn day on the North Shore. It could just as easily describe the wonder of our children, or the devotion of our parents, or the power of the lake on a blustery September afternoon.
That word, “astonishing,” describes so many things so well. But what it describes better than anything else is the overwhelming joy and mystery of the resurrection. What is more astonishing to us, as people of faith, than the empty tomb? What is more astonishing to us than knowing that Jesus taught, healed, suffered and died for us?
At the beginning of the Nicene Creed are words that speak directly to this idea of astonishment. Christians around the world declare that, “We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.” I love that bold statement of faith. God created all that exists, both seen and unseen.
The universe we live in is mostly unseen. All of the scientific knowledge we have accumulated over the millennia doesn’t even begin to touch the surface of the knowledge that is still unknown. The knowledge we have today is mind boggling compared to the knowledge of our grandparents’ generation. What we know today will pale in comparison to what our grandchildren will know.
Even as our horizons expand, we accept that we will always live in a world in which most things are unseen. We will always live in a world in which we are frightened by the unknown. We will always be shaken by events that we can’t understand or control. We will always struggle to see ourselves in the context of a universe that blurs the distinctions between matter and energy, time and space.
Yet we believe that God was present when the universe was created. His hands formed the stars and the planets and the seas and the dry land. God is present here with us today, as well. God shepherds us through the unknown. He leads us to him, where we find comfort and safety. God sends us out, through the power of his Spirit, to serve and to share what we have been given.
So many things about this life will always remain unknown to us, but what is most important to us is imprinted on our hearts. God loves us so much that he came to live among us and he gave himself for us so that we might live with him forever. What an astonishing thought that is. Thehand of God that created all that is, both seen and unseen, lives with us in our little community today.
Our astonishment calls us to witness, not in words, but in how we live our lives, not in speech, but in truth and action. May our lives be witnesses to our astonishment of the empty tomb so that others might share in the joy that we have found.
One week each month, a guest columnist will offer Spiritual Reflections. This week’s contributor is Tom Murray of the Lutsen Evangelical Lutheran Church.
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