Christmas Faith-- in an Expanding Universe

When I was young my world was small. An adventure was going all the way around the block. My faith was Jesus loves me this I know, and why shouldn’t he, after all what else did he have to do?

As I got older I realized the world was bigger than I had thought before. It was 5,000 years old, and God had created it, for the Bible tells me so. The sun came up, and the seasons passed, and my faith was Jesus loves me for the people I k now and love have told me so. I trusted Jesus loved me as long as I did as I was told.

Then as I got even older I realized creation was more complicated than I had imagined. The earth was part of a larger solar system than I could comprehend. My faith was still Jesus loves me, even though everything that had been explained and laid out did not always fit into my comprehension. Somehow the heart of my faith was becoming more and more a Presence, and an assurance that even when I do not know where I am in time and space God knows, and furthermore, he cares.

I don’t know, cannot imagine how big this universe may be. Nor how small, infinitely small this planet on which we live. But the message of Christmas is that God is not impressed by size or numbers, and he inhabits Reality which includes but is not necessarily limited to what we see extending into seeming infinity. Jesus loves me, this I know- for the Bible tells me so. The Bible tells me about Jesus. The Bible is opened by that Presence. I know a lot less than what was explained to me as a reasonable smart youngster, but Oh, I know a whole lot more! And the essence is still the same: Jesus loves me! Jesus loves YOU!