A Dependable Universe

Theme: God faithfully holds his universe together.

Bible Verse: And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17)

Materials Needed:

• Tennis ball (or one similar in size)

• Several feet of string

• Masking tape

Bible Lesson

Scientists have learned much about the forces of nature. The gravity force keeps us on the ground, and the electric force holds atoms together in all objects. We can write down formulas for these forces, but our understanding remains limited. What really is gravity? What is electric charge? We do not know; these are simply terms for describing what we observe.

Colossians 1:17 implies that Christ established the laws of gravity and electricity, and that he maintains them day by day. Consider the alternative: if the Lord turned his back on the universe for just one moment, instant chaos surely would result. Water, the land, the moon—all would disintegrate. The earth would lose its shape and leave its solar orbit, drifting off into the darkness of space. Christ remains very much in charge of his universe, for our daily benefit. Shouldn’t we put all our trust in the One who created and operates the universe?

Science Activity

Attach the string to the ball with a knot or tape so that it can be swung in a vertical circle, like a large wheel. The ball represents the orbiting earth, with your hand as the sun at the center of the circle. Ask your audience what will happen when you release the string at the top of the ball’s arc. Will it go straight up and hit the ceiling, or perhaps drop down and hit you? Count out loud—“one, two, three”—and then release the ball at the top of its loop. Be sure to aim the ball in a clear direction so no one is hit. The motion is similar to that of a stone leaving a sling. The ball will travel on a tangent, in roughly a straight-line direction. This is exactly what the earth would do if gravity suddenly ceased to exist. Our planet would leave the sun behind, and life for us would quickly grow cold, dark, and impossible.

When a ball on a string is swung in a circle and released, it will leave on a nearly straight-line tangent.

Science Explanation

When the ball is released during its swing, it does not travel on exactly a straight path. Instead, the earth’s gravity attraction pulls downward on the ball. As the ball moves horizontally, it follows a parabolic path to the ground. The curvature of this motion is slight enough that it does not interfere with the activity.

Gravity remains a mysterious force in nature. It acts through great distances of empty space. The gravitational attraction between the earth and sun also continually adjusts to the earth’s changing location. There is scientific speculation that invisible gravity particles called gravitons, or perhaps gravity waves, continually flow between space objects such as the earth and sun. However, these particles or waves have not yet been detected. We are reminded of Colossians 1:17, which states that God holds all things together, including the moon, earth, sun, and stars.