Truth be known, I am a bit of a space geek. I have always been a bit fascinated with the universe and trying to know and see the “infinity and beyond.” Even now, I enjoy using my telescope and seeing stars that are light years away from us (I know, I’m a nerd). And one thing always stands out during those times: the universe seems way too big to understand. Think about it. We live on this small planet in a dinky solar system within one of a billion (known) galaxies within this vast space, yet we know so much about it. It seems impossible when you really think about it. Someone you might have heard of summarized this thought much better than I can when they said “The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility. The fact that it’s comprehensible is a miracle…The most incomprehensible fact of the universe is that it’s comprehensible.” This statement was spoken by arguably one of the greatest minds we have ever known: Albert Einstein. And yet as brilliant as he was, he was awestruck that the vast and complicated universe could be understood. Do you agree with Professor Einstein?
As I was thinking about Professor Einstien’s statement and its principle meaning, I recalled a lecture by Tony Evans I heard a few years ago. Dr. Evans noted that, in his experience, at the heart of many skeptics of faith and religion is their belief that no one can understand or know God. In other words, to many skeptics, God is ultimately incomprehensible. Now, I can sympathize and understand this viewpoint from skeptics. It is just like looking up at the night sky and seeing the vastness and power and beauty of the universe; it seems unknowable too! But as I just pointed out, the universe is comprehensible. And I argue, so is God.
Do you find it impossible, or just skeptical, that we can actually know and understand God? I was skeptical most of my life. Like the universe, God seemed too big or distant to really know. As I began to read and study, I recognized there was much more reason to believe in God rather than the views and beliefs of atheism. So Agnosticism seemed logical, meaning life makes more sense with God but all these different faiths and religions were fine because ultimately no one could really know God. But, what if knowing God was really possible? “Because you have known me, you will also know the Father. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him” (John 14:7). Could it really be that simple? God sent His son to us so we could really know Him? The answer is yes. Jesus Christ was Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” And by knowing Him, we can know God.
In John 9, a blind man miraculously healed by Jesus is attempting to tell the scholars and religious elite, who were quite skeptical of Jesus, exactly what Jesus did and who He was. As the scholars and religious elite belittled him, the man stood and famously said “I don’t know about all that, but what I do know is that I was blind but now I see.” In Jesus, we can know God, and in doing so, make the seemingly Incomprehensible Comprehensible.
”This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the one You have sent – Jesus Christ” (John 17:3).
