7,250,000,000,000,000,000 bathtubs - January 14, 2010

Daily Reading

Job 38-39

Daily Verse

"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?

Tell me, if you understand."

Job 38:4

Daily Thought

Who shut up the sea behind doors

when it burst forth from the womb,

'This far you may come and no farther;

here is where your proud waves halt'?

There are 362 quintillion gallons of water in the ocean.

That is 362 billion billion or 3.62×1020

or 362,000,000,000,000,000,000.

Or 7,250,000,000,000,000,000 bathtubs

or 15,000,000,000,000,000 swimming pools, if that makes it easier.

Can you bind the beautiful Pleiades?

Can you loose the cords of Orion?

Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons?

Do you know the laws of the heavens?

On a clear, moonless night, a few thousand stars are visible, of the 10,000,000,000 in the Milky Way galaxy. Some estimate there are 10 billion billion stars in the universe, but NASA put the number precisely at zillions and zillions.

Do you satisfy the hunger of the lions?

Do you know when the mountain goats give birth?

Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?

Who let the wild donkey go free?

Will the wild ox consent to serve you?

Do you give the horse his strength?

Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom?

Does the eagle soar at your command?

Estimates range from 5 million to 100 million different species on earth, but we've identified less than 2 million. Breaking this down into categories, zoologists come up with 20,000 species of fish, 6,000 species of reptiles, 9,000 of birds, 1,000 amphibians, and 15,000 species of mammals. The remaining millions are, you'll be happy to know, insects and spiders.

As to the total number of individual animals, the scientific estimate is, "I have absolutely no idea."

Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation?

Tell me, if you understand.

Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!

Who stretched a measuring line across it?

Sometimes it is the right time to be quiet, be still, and know that He is God.

To God's Glory,

Dave

Daily Prayer

Creator God, what a world we live in, created by Your hands, your Word, your breath. What a delight to look at the heavens and think of You. We marvel at the myriad shapes and sizes of your creatures. Look at ourselves! We reflect your image, but in countless ways.

May we, God, never cease our amazement at Your creativity. May we be good stewards of what You have placed in our care. May we use all things as You intended, to ultimately glorify You.

Amen