Pastor's Christmas Letter - December 2024

Pastor’s Letter

I don’t know much about astronomy, but for the past couple of months, Geoffvin has really gotten into it. Every day, we come across something fascinating about the universe. Whenever I learn something new about space, it blows my mind and I totally get what David meant in Psalm 8:3-4, when he said, ‘When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—the moon and the stars you set in place—what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?’

Here are some cool facts about our incredible universe: Light travels at 186,000 miles per second, which means it travels about 671 million miles in an hour. In a year, light can cover around 6 trillion miles. Even if you could travel at light speed, it would take you 96 billion light-years to cross from one end of the universe to the other. So, yeah, David’s question is profound and it’s a perfect thought for Christmas. The notion that God, in His infinite majesty, would take an interest in us, mere mortals, is truly astonishing, especially considering that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, into this world.

The psalm doesn’t really explain why God does this; it just states that it’s the way things are. God has decided to give us humans this incredibly important role and wants us to take care of His creation. But I think the essence of this psalm is all about worship: ‘O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!’ (v9).

If you ever feel insignificant, just step outside on a clear night and look up. You can see Saturn, which is 746 million miles away, without a telescope. The farthest thing you can see with your naked eye is the Andromeda Galaxy, sitting 2.5 million light-years away. Remember, even though you’re small, God cares about you. And if that doesn’t convince you, maybe ask Santa for a telescope this Christmas!

God wants us to get closer to Him. He desires to wrap us in His love and share a connection with us. I really hope and pray that every move we make brings us nearer to experiencing the depth of God’s love and His divine presence during Advent leading up to Christmas. That’s what I’m aiming for in the days ahead and into the New Year. I hope you’ll join me in that goal!

Merry Christmas and God Bless

Christvin Edbarg