God and the Proton Proton Chain

 
I am an avid gardener, and I create new plants all of the time. With some I divide the roots, the tubers, or the bulbs. With others I use cuttings in water to stimulate root growth. And some plants I try to grow with seed. You think using seeds would be easy, but they are the hardest way to create plants. You have to germinate them under the correct growing conditions for that particular plant. The temperature has to be right, the soil conditions have to be just so, the amount of water applied, etc… I have had more failures with seeds than successes. However, when a seed sprouts into a plant, the results are impressive. From a really small package comes a huge plant. Zinnias have been the most successful of my seed campaign. Zinnias can grow to over six feet in height! Not too shabby for a little seed planted in some dirt. I think this is a good metaphor for God’s work in the universe. From the smallest of things, God creates everything.
 
In the beginning of the universe, the only element that existed was hydrogen. In the brand new creation these single proton atoms clumped together to form clouds of hydrogen gas. The clouds created a gravity well that attracted more of the gas from the surrounding region. As more atoms were added, the center of the cloud saw its pressure increase, and as a result, the temperature increased as well. When the temperature became high enough (1 x 10⁷ K) two protons smashed into each other and fused to create deuterium while releasing an electron and a neutrino (p + p --> ²D + e⁺ + v). This was the start of a series of fusion and fission reactions that created everything we see around us. All that we are physically comes from the interiors of stars, like our sun. And it all starts on a very small level, the Proton-Proton chain.
 
Jesus says that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds and yet, grows into an enormous plant (Matt 13:31-35). The Kingdom includes all of the faithful, but the Kingdom also describes what is within us. Our faith in God starts out small but can grow into universal proportions. Isn’t that what is meant when Jesus says; “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48). With our God given faith we can reach for the stars. And it all starts from a very small beginning, saying yes to a relationship with our heavenly father.
 
Seeds sprouting, proton smashing and faith growing; in a strange way it all makes sense. God has created an amazing universe for us to live in. The wonders of it continue to amaze. I hope you will enjoy studying how God makes it all work as I do. If you wish to learn more, you can contact me and I will try my best to explain how stars work. Or, you can read the book I am reading; Theory of Stellar Structure and Evolution by Dina Prialnik, Cambridge University Press. Not an easy read but worth the effort.
 
Peace,
 
Pastor Bill