Is God Too Big...

...to come near?

Do you ever sit and ponder the greatness of God?  I don't mean the holiness or how great His mercy is (although those are also worth pondering).  I mean His literally GREATNESS - His size, His abilities, His awesome, wondrous, imagination and creativity.  His greatness is almost incomprehensible at times.

There is a video by Louis Giglio called "How Great is Our God."  Part 1 is here and I'd like you to go watch it before reading any further.

No, seriously, go watch it.  It's ten minutes.  But it will be the best ten minutes you spend today.

I'll wait.







If you didn't watch it, you're not going to appreciate this next part.  I really hope you watched it.

Our Milky Way Galaxy

So at what point was your mind blown?  The longer he talked, and the more comparisons he made, the smaller I felt.  Like really small.  So small to the point of not mattering.  I know I've had the prayers that aren't as significant or life changing as others' needs or prayers.  I've felt that my problems are so much less problematic than others' problems.  But this video just sort of added to that feeling of...."I am so unimportant in the big, giant, universal, multi-galaxy big picture."

Did you feel like that too?  Just a little?

That we believe in and pray to a God who is so mighty and powerful that He's created all this stuff - the stuff we see like animals and trees and other people and the skies and the oceans - but He's also created all this stuff we can't see - like the planets and nebulae and other galaxies that are so majestic, so beautiful, so unique, that I just feel inferior when I think of little 'ole me.

Thousands of documented galaxies

I mean, I think about the biggest thing we have on Earth is probably the ocean.  The ocean is massive.  So big that scientists don't think we've discovered all the creatures in it yet.  That's pretty big.  And when I look out at it and it has seemingly no end, that's big.  When out on a ship, in the middle of that ocean, with nothing but water on every horizon and nothing but water for miles - MILES - below you, that is scary big.  And that's not the biggest thing out in the great expanse of creation.  It's nothing compared to other planets and galaxies.  And I am nothing compared to that massive ocean.  Are you seeing my teeny tiny self-image here?

And yet....

God chose to come close to us.

Helix Nebula aka "Eye of God" Nebula

This great, big, Creator God of the Universe chose to make Earth His footstool (Isaiah 66:1).  Think about that:  a footstool is a resting place for one's feet.  It has to be in close proximity of the person's seat.  And when that person gets up, they remove their feet from the foot stool and then lean forward, placing them in a perfect position to observe the footstool from a closer perspective.

Scripture tells us that God desired a closer perspective of Earth from its very creation.  In the Garden of Eden, God walked with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8).  He appeared as a burning bush to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 3:2).  In the desert, God appeared to the Israelites as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21).  He then appeared to Moses again on Mount Sinai when He gave Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus 33:18-23).

"Hand of God" Nebula

The full verse of Isaiah 66:1 says, "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?"  This tells us that God not only wanted a closer look, He in fact wanted to dwell here.  Here - on this tiny planet in the middle of space surrounded by a whole lot more stuff.  Exodus 25 gives the guidelines for the Tabernacle which the Israelites would build.  God promises that He will be in their presence in the ark of the covenant they were to build.  Later God gives instructions for the Temple to be built (1 Kings 6).  It was called The House of God and The Lord promised "I will live among the Israelites" (verse 13).  A house is a pretty permanent dwelling.

"Hand of God" Nebula, different angle

Still later, God came forward to the world in an even greater way - through His Son, Jesus the Messiah.  Jesus, Yeshua, was named Immanuel, which means "God with us" (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23).  God, creator of the vast universe, came so close as to walk among mankind in the form of a man.  One hundred percent God and one hundred percent man, just so He could live, walk, teach, love, die, and rise again in the flesh.

And if that wasn't enough, He then sent His Holy Spirit (John 14:26, Acts 2) to forever indwell in every person who would believe on Jesus and accept the free gift of salvation from their sins.  Now, instead of being contained in one location, in an ark or temple, in one Man, God is present in the lives of every believer - every moment of every day, forever.  Here - on this tiny planet, among so many other places in the universe.

This great, big, giant, amazing, Creator God who has made so much that I feel inferior by comparison has instead decided that I am so special, so important, so loved, that He wants to come close and be a part of my life - in every facet, every decision, every moment of every day.  That is simply astonishing.

Cross found at center of Whirlpool Galaxy

Now when I think about how big God is, I think of Him as being far off for a purpose:  far away enough that He can look at the universe He created and enjoy it.  As if looking out upon all these things gives Him joy.  Like a window looking out at a scenic view; just as we enjoy looking out at creation and sit in wonder of the vastness and beauty all around us, so He must enjoy looking at all the splendor He can see from His vantage point. 

And I marvel that a God so big as to create all that I see and so very much more that I can't see, would care enough to come near to us who are so small by comparison.  I am shocked at His attention to our tiny spot in the great big picture of space.  I am humbled by His desire to care about the things that are troubling us.  I am thrilled at His longing to be a part of our lives.  I am so thankful for His plan to make us so much more important than all the other things He has created. 

He is too big to consider any other alternative except coming near to us.

And that is the most amazing thing of all.

UPDATE:  On January 20, 2015, this video was released to show a very small glimpse into our nearest spiral galaxy, Andromeda.  It is mind blowing to imagine that there is all of this out there - and still our Creator God chose to come close to US!  Each one of us!  If you don't feel special yet, I hope seeing this will get you there.

When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, 

the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established,  

What is man that You are mindful of him, 

and the son of man that You care for him? Psalm 8:3-4