For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. ~ Philippians 1:21-24

Continued from last week’s significant insignificance “God’s barrier the physical universe”…

“My soul is anxious to leave here”, which rightly paraphrases Paul’s cry out to the Philippians regarding his desire to leave this earthly life to be with Christ. One of the earliest forms of significant insignificance I can remember.

Which makes me wonder how many more of us desire the same?

A while ago I came across a gem of an essay which had the following observation: As I turned to look out the window of my small home by the edge of a grassy field, I saw two beautiful horses in the summer light grazing in the same way these magnificent animals have done for millions of years and experienced a moment of almost inexplicable, sublime peace knowing that I too am a part of this picture, this life.

As beleaguered by the endless business of each day as all of us are, to somehow recognize the significance of the seemingly insignificant if even for a moment, and indulge too often in what may ostensibly be regarded as “the wasted time we spend here on this planet”, is enough to make me tremble with gratitude just to be.

And those variables requisite in bringing about my own existence as a human being only adds to my capacity for joy, which even if fleeting at times feels as boundless as God’s grace, blessing me unfailingly. In short there is no need to ‘leave here’ to be enthralled by other worlds. The staggering breadth of miracles to behold in this world, even from a mere kitchen window, are infinite.[end]

Expressed in another way, the application of God’s ‘significant insignificance’ is all around us, if only we pay attention.

To which I say ‘Amen’. If there is no God, then life is pointless and we are no more than random products of a universe that came into existence for no reason, continues to exist for no reason and nothing makes sense. In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. Without God, atheists are left with an impossible to answer question: Who created the Universe? They have an effect without a cause. How (un)scientific is that?

For atheists to believe what they believe needs as much (if not more) faith than to truly believe the Bible. Atheism really is a religion. And atheist scientists are the high priests of that religion with their own significant insignificance. But God will have the last word.

The short and simple of it is that some things are beyond man’s comprehension and applying our human standards for apperception and judgment are inadequate. If a personal God does not exist – that is, God who is intimately and personally involved in each person’s life – then what we see around us and that of which we are part is simply a process of significant insignificance.

In a terrific book about Creation versus Evolution (among other serious religious issues) is “Rational Conclusions” by James Agresti. He points out that the improbability of the Universe is a one with so many zeroes after it that we could hardly count the minute probability as every other alternative means the Universe would expand into oblivion or collapse upon itself. Yet we know that there is a 100% probability that the Universe does exist. It is similar with any human being in that the probability of all your ancestors having the exact spermatozoa fertilize the exact egg in all our ancestors to produce you or me approaches zero yet there is 100% probability that we exist.

Perhaps Heaven is where truth is, and virtue and true love. Perhaps Hell is being as miserable in eternity as many seem to be on earth. Perhaps I will see you on the other side one day. Perhaps then we will all be cleansed and not such ornery and stubborn SOBs?!

Seems to me that our significant insignificance is very significant to God!

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LordFor as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. ~ Isaiah 55:8-9

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Check out: God’s barrier the physical universe

See full: Our Significant Insignificance – The Universe and Us

See also: The Discovery of Gravitational Waves

And don’t miss God’s purpose for your life: The Potential of your Purpose

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Face of Jesus by Richard Hook

Soli Deo Gloria!