CLEOEJACKSONIII.COM
  • My Home Page
  • My Life and Ministry
  • My Ongoing Thoughts
  • My Favorite Bible Verses
  • My Favorite Stories
  • My Favorite Jokes
  • My Favorite Quotations
  • My Favorite Web Links
  • My Contact Info
"Helping Others Communicate"

A PLACE IN THE SUN!

5/9/2016

 
Picture
Today is an exciting day in the world of astronomy.  NASA has been tracking the long anticipated transit of the planet Mercury across the face of the sun.  This awe-inspiring event  happens no more than thirteen times in a century, last having taken place in 2006.  For this reason, perhaps, videos and images such as the one below abound this day on the internet. 














What a picture!  The smallest planet in our solar system (remember, Pluto was ignominiously kicked out of the illustrious planetary pantheon a few years ago) up against the massive bulk of the sun itself!  The comparison/contrast is amazing!  The one so minuscule and the other so gigantic!  The one so lifeless and the other so vibrant!  The one so dark and the other so bright!

As I sat looking at this image, I could not help but be reminded of the scene which unfolds in the sixth chapter of the Old Testament Book of Isaiah (Verses 1-8).  The prophet states:

1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”

6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”  And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Isaiah heard the angels testify that the whole earth was full of God’s glory!  Elsewhere, the Bible speaks of the earth singing and the heavens declaring the glory of God.  By this, I believe it means that they testify to their Creator through their splendor. 

Now, I do not know if heavenly spheres can actually speak, let alone think or feel in the same sense that human beings do.  But if they can, then surely diminutive little Mercury feels much the same as once Isaiah did!

But Isaiah was confronted with more than just the majesty and awesomeness of Almighty God that eventful day.  He was confronted with his own inadequacy as a result!   And yet, the very same God Whose majesty so humbled Isaiah also chose to extend him grace!  Thus, Isaiah found a whole new sense of worth through the cleansing and subsequent new standing he received from God that day!

Think about it.  Without the qualities of the sun, there would be no solar system.  Without the sun’s gravity, there would be no habitable zone for the planets!  Without the sun’s heat, there would be warmth for the planets, and thus no atmospheres, no weather.  Without the sun’s light, there could be no photosynthesis, and thus no plant life to sustain animal life on any of the planets, including right here on the third rock from that sun!

The point is this.  Due to its gargantuan size, the sun has an imposing presence that makes the planets revolving around it seem pitifully insignificant by comparison.  Nevertheless, these planets all owe their very existence to the sun.  Indeed, any planetary qualities they may possess are clearly due to the influence of their enormous heavenly benefactor, around which their entire existence revolves.

And that is a perfect picture of our relationship to God!  Without Him, we simply would not exist.  Without His sustaining power, our lives would spin out of control!  Without His warmth and light, we would be cold, dead, and lifeless!  In short, without Him, we would enjoy no life at all! 

Little wonder that Isaiah felt compelled to submit to such a gracious God!  Little wonder that he also felt compelled to go out and serve that same God!  Would that you and I do the same!

SOURCE: 
http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-to-provide-coverage-of-ma
y-9-mercury-transit-of-the-sun
.


Comments are closed.

    Cleo E. Jackson, III

    Occasionally I will add
    a few thoughts to my blog. If you find them inspirational, I will be
    honored.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010

    Categories

    All