Washington Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

By Doug Bing, Washington Conference president

Recently I saw a semi-truck that had a small sign on the cab of the truck. The sign proclaimed that the driver was a million-mile driver.

He had driving a million miles as a truck driver. I saw the driver inside and reflected on how young he looked. He must have been driving a lot to have reached a million-mile mark already.

That same week I saw someone post online that they had reach a million miles as a frequent flyer on a particular airline. Also, a lot of miles and an indication of constant travel and movement.

A million miles is a great distance. Yet when it comes to the size of this universe it is quite small.

The brand-new James Webb telescope is located one million miles away from the earth in part of space called the Earth-Sun Lagrange point. It is an area of space where gravity and centripetal forces of both the sun and the earth area just right. It allows objects to stay in a relatively stable position.

This telescope is huge. It cost 3.5 billion dollars to build and launch and will cost another billion dollars to operate for 10 years.

Why is the telescope there?

Scientists want to look for the origin of the universe. Because of how large the universe is the star light that we see each night has traveled for years through space before we actually see it. So the Webb telescope wants to back to when the light of those stars and galaxies was first starting its journey through space. They are wanting to look way back in time.

So the Webb telescope is a million miles from the earth and yet it has barely scratched the surface in exploring the size of the universe.

There are millions of miles to go. God’s creation is huge. It is beautiful. It is mysterious with much to explore and learn.

And in that vast universe with literally thousands of massive galaxies that span millions of miles God cares about this planet. He looks down through time and space and said to us, “You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you are men and I am Your God, says the Lord.” Ezekiel 34:31

God doesn’t need a telescope a million miles from heaven to look over His creation. He sees it all, cares about it all, wants to take care of it all and declares that we are His.

In a world in turmoil with many stresses and strains happening both globally and personally isn’t it great to know that God sees His flock and says you are mine. That is amazing love and care for such a tiny spot in His vast universe. That amazing love is certainly compelling.

Amazing love always has a response from us. The response really only has two options: Accept the love and rejoice that we are in God’s family and then daily walk in peace and assurance with God and His family. Or reject that love and go it alone.

What is your response?