If it cost 1¢ to go 1,000 miles through space, it would cost $2.39 to go to the moon since the moon is 238,857 miles from the earth. To travel to the sun would cost $930. But to reach the nearest star would cost $260,000,000! So how much do you think it costs to get to heaven? Far, far more than any of us could ever pay. Only the blood of Christ could ever pay our passage there.
We’ve talked about cost; now let’s talk about time. Light travels 186,282 miles per second. If we could travel at the speed of light, it would only take a tiny bit over 1-1/4 seconds to reach the moon, about 8-1/4 minutes to travel to the sun, and approximately 4.3 years to reach the nearest star. How long would it take to travel to heaven? The Bible gives us that answer. When the Lord Jesus comes to take His own blood-bought people to heaven, we will be there “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”! (1 Co-rinthians 15:52).
Stars look so bright to us on a clear night, but the light from the nearest star has traveled more than 4 years (called light-years) before it comes close enough to the earth so we can see it. There are only about 20 stars within 12 light-years of the earth. And light from other stars takes much longer.
How many stars are there in this vast universe? Only God knows that answer. With stronger telescopes, astronomers are continually discovering more stars that God placed in the sky when He first created them. Psalm 147:44He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. (Psalm 147:4) says, “He [God] telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names.” But I know something much sweeter and more personal than that. “He [calls] His own sheep by name, and [leads] them out” (John 10:33To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (John 10:3)). Isn’t it wonderful that God, the One who created the sun, the moon and the stars loves you and me so much that He sent His Son who became a man so He could die for our sins? How thankful we should be that “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever [believes] in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). And do you know that the God who created this vast universe and named every star is the same God who loves you and knows your name? He sent His Son Christ Jesus to die for you, and now He is waiting for you to accept His Son as your very own Saviour.
Will you accept His gift of eternal life, which is far more valuable than the unmeasured universe?
ML-03/21/1999