When you look up at the stars in the night sky, what do you feel?

Many people say the vastness of the universe and the countless stars make them feel puny and insignificant.

In a way, that’s understandable.

The star that Earth orbits around is just one of many in the Milky Way, the galaxy in which we live. In fact, there are perhaps 100 billion stars in our cosmic “neighbourhood.”

And the Milky Way is just one of many galaxies. Estimates vary as to how many galaxies exist in the observable universe: some experts suggest a couple hundred billion, and others postulate as many as 10 trillion.

It’s impossible for us to know how many stars there are in the observable universe, but here’s the largest guess I came across: Multiplying the higher number of estimated galaxies by the Milky Way’s estimated 100 billion stars gives a possibility of 1 septillion stars in the universe (1 quadrillion in the European system). That’s a “1” with 24 zeroes after it!

The Milky Way is so enormous that, even travelling at light speed, it would take 100,000 years to travel across it. The observable universe is incredibly more vast: according to current thinking, it’s about 93 billion light years in diameter.

No wonder people feel small when they contemplate the unimaginable expanse of the universe!

But for me, this knowledge doesn’t make me feel insignificant.

It makes me feel just the opposite.

For I have a personal relationship with the awesome Being who created the universe and flung the stars into space. He is my Heavenly Father, and I am His child.

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1 NIV)

The Bible tells me that God knew me before I was born. He knows the number of hairs on my head, something I don’t even know.

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. And even the very hairs of your head area all numbered. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7)

God has a plan for my life and has prepared in advance good works for me to do. He loves me with an everlasting love.

He even sent His Son Jesus to die for my sins, so I could be reconciled to God and spend eternity with Him.

All that makes me feel very significant.

Despite the unfathomable size of the universe and the innumerable stars and other worlds out there, I matter to God. He is interested in every detail of my life. He cares about me, He loves me, He has redeemed me.

The same is true of you.

If you’re a believer in Jesus, you can substitute your own name in place of “I/me/my” in all the above statements.

And if you’re not yet a believer, why not get to know the Creator of this wondrous universe? For starters, you can click on the “About God” link on this blog’s menu.

I look up at the starry night sky and I think, “My Heavenly Father made all that!” The most awesome Being in the universe, the One who created the unimaginable vastness of space and all the known and unknown stars, planets and galaxies, knows my name and loves me. That’s an incredibly comforting feeling.

If you’re a believer in Jesus, you’re never insignificant!

© 2020 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.