The realities of God are so far beyond our wildest imagination that unless He reveals Himself to us we would remain unknowing. God has been revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and in the evidence of His creation.

Using a collection of telescopes scattered around the world called the Event Horizon Telescope Project astronomers have taken the first photograph of a black hole in outer space. It took scientists 2 years to create the photographic image. The black hole is called M87 and is located 50 million light years from Earth. To give you a perspective of its size M87 can contain 6.5 billion of our suns. Our sun can contain over a million Earths.

A black hole is created when a star collapses creating an infinitely dense and dimensionless point in space. The edge of a black hole is called the event horizon.  The image of a black hole looks like someone pulled the plug on an immense drain in the middle of space. The circular edge of M87’s event horizon is an opening measuring 7 billion miles. Black holes create a tremendous pull sucking objects into its dense interior. That pull is so powerful it can swallow stars, matter, and even light. Once inside nothing can escape. Even time and space are altered in and around the opening of a black hole.

Why does this matter? It matters because all created things from solar systems to stars, undiscovered galaxies and beyond were all spoken into existence by God as easy and you or me having a casual conversation in a local coffee shop. This God who is beyond our ability to fully contemplate has initiated a relationship with us in Jesus Christ. 

It matters today when a personal problem becomes overwhelming or a relationship falls apart or a loved one dies. When these painful things happen, take a moment and contemplate the immensity of God. As immense as His creation may appear, it is not infinite. Only God is beyond measure. All creation is only a created thing – even what exists in the most remote depths of undiscovered space. God spoke them all into being by just the sound of His voice. The only thing beyond space in size and measurement is the love of God. His love dwarfs the most mind-bending discovery we will ever make in far reaches of outer space. 

That is why the contemplation of God’s love matters when we enter a challenging season of life. It gives us perspective. To know we are loved by God is the greatest discovery we will ever make.