I read something today that was deeply humbling, and at the same time filled me with awe and wonder.
On March 7, 2009, NASA launched a space observatory called Kepler (named after the astronomer Johannes Kepler) with the purpose of searching for Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. The general opinion among scientists at the time was that planets like ours, that could support life, must be relatively rare in the universe. Kepler was launched to give us a definitive answer.
Since then, Kepler has studied 150,000 stars around the constellation Cygnus. It has found over 3500 Earth-like, habitable planets in that region. Based on that find, scientists are now estimating that, in the Milky Way galaxy alone, there could be tens of billions of Earths that are supportive of life.
We could take it a little further and ask, how many galaxies are there? Scientists estimate, just based on the limited observations they have made, there could be 500 billion galaxies in the Universe.
I’ll leave it to the reader to do the math.
Joseph Smith, in his Inspired Translation of the Bible, restored what was the prologue of the Bible. In it the Lord told Moses,
And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten. (Moses 1:33)
Also,
The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words. (Moses 1:37-38)
Does this change how you view the God you worship? His works never cease. Does that mean anything to you? His words never cease. Do you hear His words? If not, why not?
