Catch a Falling Star!

Have you seen the astonishing pictures taken over 300 million miles away?

I guess that I am not alone in having been amazed at the progress of the Rosetta space probe, and its tiny lander, Philae, as it has aimed at landing on a lump of rock and ice after travelling more than 4 billion miles in ten years. 

Knowing how often I get lost even with the advantage of maps and past experience, it is astonishing to know that the European Space Agency team, working together on this project for many years, succeeded in getting Philae to land somewhere that was over 300 million miles away.

The comet,  67P Churyumov Gerasimenko (I had to look up that name!), would have been thought of as a falling star in days of yore, as star gazers noticed these bright moving lights in the clear night sky. And in their own way, these people have managed to catch that falling star, to do some experiments on it.

But by working together, this group of scientists and engineers, over many years, from many nationalities and backgrounds, have done something which none of them could have done on their own.

And then the scientific experiments which were the reason for this amazing venture will help people to understand quite how life on earth might have developed, because all present theories are currently just theories.

The more scientists explore and experiment, the more we may understand our own origins. 'How did we get here?' and 'Why are we here?' are questions lurking in many of our minds.

The ancients also asked these sort of questions. 

The Psalmists put together many such reflections. 

'O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! 

Your glory is higher than the heavens. 

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers — the moon and the stars you set in place — what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? 

Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honour. (Psalm 8.1,3-5)

How often do we allow ourselves to be caught up in wonder at the size and beauty of creation? And do we look beyond the creation to the Creator? With dark nights, it might be easier to do some star gazing.

And yet I also reflect that the God who made the whole Universe, chose to come and live among us, because he loves us. 

'In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.' (John 1.1, 14)

In the run up to Christmas, we shall be confronted repeatedly by this astonishing truth about the God who made the world and all else. Wonderful!

Best wishes,

Richard