Indescribable (Illustrated Edition): Encountering The Glory Of God In The Beauty Of The Universe (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
"The statistical probability that organic structures and the most precisely harmonized reactions that typify living organisms would be generated by accident is zero." - Ilya Prigogine, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, page 180-181I was lent this book by a good friend of mine to occupy my twelve hour drive to New York this past week. Coincidentally, I didn't actually get to it until the drive home, and during the time we were there my friends and I paid a day-long visit to the American Museum of Natural History. The AMNH is home to world-renown astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and the Hayden Planetarium, as well as a huge informative, interactive space exhibit.It's not any secret that I like learning about the universe. Space fascinates me. I am amazed at the fact that, no matter how much knowledge we humans gather about the vast space we call the universe, we are constantly surprised and stumped by things we simply cannot explain. I love that God did not shirk his responsibilities when creating things other than earth, and he gave humans the capacity to explore the details.The beauty in those details is indescribable.Scientists do not cover up God with facts and theoretical drabble--they uncover him. If earth is beautiful, the universe is stunning, and we find more about it every day. It's awesome, and I can't help but marvel.I have to admit after the first couple of essays I started skimming them. As short as they were, I was more interested in the images, and the writing quickly became repetitive. I had seen most of the pictures before (I do quite love space, especially the images from the Hubble), but they are still gorgeous. Giglio and Redman do a fantastic job incorporating facts and quotes into the images, though, and I was never bored.Four stars because I was not moved by this book and there is a slim chance I will pick it up again unless it comes back into my possession, but three doesn't do it justice. Thoroughly well-done and inspiring, and I'd recommend this to someone who anyone who thinks that space isn't a beautiful thing crafted with God's own hands. I am humbled by a picture of a spiral galaxy similar to ours, 30 million light years away. Our solar system is so small in the Milky Way that it is like the size of a quarter in all of North America. We are miniscule, not even dust motes, compared to the stars--some of which are 4 million times brighter than the sun--and yet God knows how many hairs are on each of our heads.The authors impress upon us the words of Job in verse 37:17, “Stop and consider God’s wonders.” “Reverence is often the fruit of reflection, and reflection often the result of stillness.”Filled with awe-inspiring pictures, Redman and Giglio’s short work illuminates that the beauty of the stars is in their deaths, and refer to the beauty of the death of Jesus Christ for us and the beauty that can be our days spent on Earth if we die to our selfish desires while here. We are not the center of the universe—far from it. Our God is HUGE.
What do You think about Indescribable (Illustrated Edition): Encountering The Glory Of God In The Beauty Of The Universe (2011)?
This book increased my vision of God exponentially! God is so big and I am so small.
—rian
Such a great book speaking on the vastness of God and His expansive universe.
—whitneh86
One of the most life-changing books I have ever read.
—beccahershy
Love this perspective of our Universe and our God!
—xxxx
