• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Jared Dees

Author. Speaker. Teacher.

  • About
    • Now
    • Projects
    • Speaking
    • Contact
  • Books
    • Beatitales
    • Tales of the Ten Commandments
    • Take and Eat
    • Do Not Be Afraid
    • Pray without Ceasing
    • Prepare the Way
    • Advent with the Angels
    • Take Up Your Cross
    • 15-Minute Stations of the Cross for Kids
  • Articles
  • Worksheets
  • Children’s Stories
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

100 Billion Galaxies

By Jared Dees

“Latest estimates show that the observable universe may contain a hundred billion [galaxies].”

Neil DeGrasse Tyson
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry 

I am still trying to wrap my mind around this statement.

If there were an estimated one billion galaxies, I would be shocked, but one hundred billion? I don’t even know what to say. I knew the universe was huge, but this is absolutely unfathomable.

So, it leads me to think a couple of things:

1. My God is too small. 

God created a universe with 100 billion galaxies.

He balances the vastness of space and time, yet loves each one of us unconditionally.

2. We make ourselves too big. 

We are so small and insignificant in the vast expanse of space and time.

And maybe that is a clue to discover meaning in life. Instead of making ourselves the center of the universe, what if we embraced our insignificance and increased our awareness of others instead.

What if the entire purpose of life is not to become bigger and more significant, but smaller and less important? What if the most important thing we do every day is what we do in small actions each moment? There is nothing we can do to change the course of the universe, but a lot we can do to help one person.

Think smaller. Don’t worry about the numbers. Help one person at a time and set aside those grand visions for yourself, which in the end don’t amount to very much in the grand scheme of the universe.

As Christians, we believe in the greatest mystery possible: that our God (the God of those 100 billion galaxies) became a man here on earth and let us kill him. Is there anything that could cause greater humility in us?

January 25, 2018 Filed Under: On Spirituality

About Jared Dees

Jared Dees is passionate about sharing practical resources to teach faith. He is best known for his website The Religion Teacher and is the author of many books including 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, To Heal, Proclaim, and Teach, Praying the Angelus, Christ in the Classroom, and Beatitales: 80 Fables about the Beatitudes for Children.

Previous Post: « Context Marketing > Content Marketing
Next Post: My Goals for 2018 »

Primary Sidebar

Jared Dees

Author, Speaker, Teacher

📬 Tools to Teach Faith 📬

I send many weekly email newsletters every week with tools to pass on faith:

👨‍🏫 The Religion Teacher’s Sunday Planner 👨‍🏫

Lessons, activities, videos, and worksheets for religious educators.

Get teaching resources here >

📖 God’s Word Wednesday 📖

Bible stories for kids.

Get Bible stories for kids here >

🏰 Formative Fiction Friday 🏰

Short stories to help kids find confidence, character, and a relationship with Christ.

Get stories for kids here >

Jared’s Newest Books

  
    
 
 
   
 
 

Jared’s Popular Website for Religious Educators

Search the Site:

Footer

Connect with Jared Dees

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Jared Dees is passionate about sharing practical resources to teach faith. He is best known for his website The Religion Teacher and is the author of many books including 31 Days to Becoming a Better Religious Educator, To Heal, Proclaim, and Teach, Praying the Angelus, Christ in the Classroom, and Beatitales: 80 Fables about the Beatitudes for Children. See all of Jared's Books →

Stories for Children

Copyright © 2023 · Jared Dees