Two separate teams of astronomers, one in Virginia and one in France, have recently discovered our galaxy is gobbling up a neighboring galaxy. Every 750 million years, the oval orbit of our neighbor brings it close enough for our gravitation to capture some suns. I would like very much to verify this by actual observation. However, my present limitation of about eighty years of life seems to remove this from my list of “been there and done that’s”, so I am definitely counting on the promise of eternal life. If I get busy and miss the next orbital pass I don’t have to be concerned because I’ll catch the next one or the next.
If I sound confident about this, it has everything to do with trusting the promises made to all of us. Paul assures us in Ephesians 2 eternal life is a complete gift from start to finish. We have no goodness to contribute to it for if we did we would soon be boasting that we did the whole thing. Now, the question is, “Just why would God want to do this for us?” According to Paul it is so God can spend eternity showering us with gifts. If I had never been a parent I don’t think I would understand this. But now I know the rush of happiness that comes from seeing one’s child prosper and grow. It makes our day.
I certainly don’t want to make God sound selfish, but the truth is He loves it when we do well. It makes Him feel like the great Father that He is.
Written by Roger Bothwell on December 7, 2003.
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