SUPER GLUE

How can I get my life together? What holds the world together? Is there something or Someone that can put together my inner person, as well as hold together the objects of the whole universe? Some of the world’s leading scientists are trying to find the answer to at least one of my questions.

One of the most fascinating experiments in history is about to take place with the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The LHC is a 17-mile ring of powerful magnets constructed at a cost of over $4 billion dollars near the French-Swiss border. As I understand it, the super-cooled magnets will shoot beams of protons in opposite directions at speeds approaching the speed of light. When they have a head-on collision the impacts will simulate conditions in the universe just a split second after the “big bang.” Last week trial runs were made in different directions, but not at the same time yet.

The hope is that finally scientists will discover evidence of the Higgs boson – known as the “God particle.” This supposed particle gives mass to matter. Confirmation of its existence will help answer the question of what holds together the black mass that composes perhaps 90% of the universe. Thus, our understandings of the tremendously huge and the infinitesimally small will be united.

It would seem to me there is still the question of balance. That is, how is balance maintained between gravity that pulls things together, and the force of the “big bang” that causes the universe to keep expanding? Could the universe implode or explode or simply burn out?

I believe the Bible sheds some light upon these questions. A few years ago I attended a series of lectures by Dr. David Wilkinson, a Britisher who holds doctorates in both theoretical astrophysics and systematic theology. He led the group through a study of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae. I cite some of the Bible texts below about the “Christ of the Cosmos.”

"For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." (Colossians 1:16-17)

The Apostle Paul shortly adds some additional inspiration, “… the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:26-27)

A few sentences later he adds, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority” (Colossians 2:8-10).

I believe Christ is the power and the person … the “God particle” or the “Super Glue” … that holds the universe together in addition to making me whole and and holy and healthy. Reflection on the above passages and the surrounding words of the Apostle Paul describe not only the power of Christ, but also the purposes of God in creation.

It is exciting and wonderful that humanity can probe the vastness of the universe and the minute detail of creation. As a believer in Christ, it causes me to praise God even more for the marvelous miracle of the universe, watched over by the "Shepherd of the stars."

The video below is “a journey to the end of the universe."