Lost in space! Better yet, it was hiding in space all these years. A “spherical planetoid,” named Quaoar has been discovered and presented to astronomers for further study. It orbits the sun from some 4 billion miles away. It takes the sun’s light 5 hours to travel all the way to this planetoid. It would take the space shuttle approximately 25 years to travel to Quaoar. It is called a Kuiper Belt object and is somewhat similar to Pluto. It takes 288 years to orbit the Sun and is 800 miles in diameter (the earth is 8,000 miles in diameter).*

    So, how did we miss it for all of these years? Why is Quaoar only now being presented to the scientific community? With all the telescopes and stargazers constantly scanning the heavens, why didn’t we find something so close (in comparison to the great expanse of space) and so large much sooner?

    Well, there are a couple of very simple explanations. First, observable space is so large that it is hard to find and classify all the objects that are observable. Second, circumstances needed to be right to see out that far into our solar system and so the timing was right for it to be found. Third, before a new space object is discovered, it needs to be double-checked and verified by other experts to validate its discovery and legitimacy.

    I don’t know about you, but this kind of discovery is exciting to me. I’ve always loved stories about finding hidden treasure or going in search of new territory (lands, planets, or objects in the seas). Most of all, however, the discovery of Quaoar reminds me of the reason passionate Bible study is so important.

Scripture is a vast space of God’s blessing.

    “What?” you’re probably asking. Let me explain.

    Scripture is a vast space of God’s blessing. It is filled with all sorts of stories, poetry, history, laws, letters, prophecies, and wisdom. When our lives are positioned properly, and when the Holy Spirit leads our hearts, we can find new discoveries that are exciting and life-altering. When we share these discoveries with others, and they have found similar things in their “scripture searchings,” we place ourselves on the edge of spiritual adventure. Of course, what we discover is not new; neither was Quaoar. Only our recognition, appreciation, and application of this truth or insight in our own lives are new. That doesn’t make it any less breathtaking for us. Living on the edge of adventure is always exciting.

    Don’t get me wrong; daily Bible study isn’t going to bring a new life-altering discovery every single day. However, as we open our hearts to the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit, our knowledge of God’s will and truth deepen each day. Today’s tidbits and tomorrow’s little insights help prepare us for the grander discoveries of next month and next year.

    So if the Bible is not part of your regular routine, why not decide to go in search of spiritual discovery. Here are some suggestions on ways to begin your mission to explore your new worlds:

• Subscribe to a daily devotional that takes things a verse at a time to get the feel of listening, learning, applying, and praying the Scriptures (of course we would love for you to subscribe to “Today’s Verse” or “What Jesus Did!” for your devotionals)

• Involve yourself in a systematic reading plan that will help you read through the Scriptures (check out our yearly reading plans for examples and resources)

• Get you a modern language translation (we like the New Living Translation) as well as a more literal translation (the New American Standard Version is good here) to go along with the usual translation you use (most of our subscribers use NIV or KJV)

• Always pray before your search the Scriptures, asking God to make his will and truth known to you and for the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide in both the interpretation of Scripture and the application of Scripture in your daily life

• Share what you have discovered with other believers who can validate, enjoy, correct, guide, and share in your discovery of God’s truth

• Approach your study of Scripture to find something more than Bible knowledge; look to move beyond knowing God’s Word to knowing God himself and living with his character in your life (see 2 Timothy 3:14-17)