Wonders at all Magnitudes

One amazing thing about the works of God in His creation is the unique beauty, order, and detail at any scale. Whether we see things on huge stellar or tiny microscopic scales, each magnitude shows the extensive work of God’s hand and hints at the depth of his unfathomable power.

In this way He sometimes uses aspects of creation to get our attention, which is the point of Psalm 19:1 (“The heavens declare the glory of God”). It is precisely this approach that God took with Job, where God explains things of the earth, seas, and heavens that He created. The argument was sufficient in itself to cause Job to consider his situation differently and to see his God differently. Likewise, if we simply stop and notice what He has made in the middle of the clamor of our lives and souls, it would help settle our hearts, because the same God who makes the galaxies also makes the sparrow. The same God who made and sustains the universe is careful with the most destitute and starving soul. And, God rejoices when the hungry soul acknowledges the God who loves him and has given him life. Even in our small troubles that seem so large, He often causes us to see a larger view or context of a predicament to improve our understanding of what is happening.

The sketches that follow remind us of this principle. The four scenes that were captured vary in magnifications from 162X to what we see from our eyes without the aid of any optics. The first picture shows a view at 162X with a telescope and captures individual craters. The second view shows the same waning crescent but captures faint colors and a much wider view. The third view shows a waxing crescent as it settled in the west over the mountain ridge in back of our home. The last view shows a waning crescent with a foreground butterfly bush and a butterfly. Each observation period captured a crescent moon but each one is unique with respect to magnification and context. One scene is not better than another; each is unique. It is a reminder of His hand in the heavens but also His hand in the creation of a delicate butterfly and plant, which are in the foreground of the last sketch. So the views capture things on a large scale but also a very tiny scale. God made beauty and detail at every magnitude, so He is able to take care of us, even when our situations seem too large and out of control. But He also handles the smallest most delicate things.