What Stephen Hawking hasn't yet discovered

I was very interested to read about the forthcoming release of the film, ‘The Theory of Everything’, which details the relationship between the famous physicist Stephen Hawking and his first wife, Jane.  In the film, Hawking is shown as a young man who is sporty, witty and charming, and, of course, a genius.  But at the age of 21 he is diagnosed with a terminal illness which threatens to rob him of his faculties.  Jane is determined to stand by him as he faces this awesome struggle, despite the warnings of her father that, “this will not be a battle, Jane, this is going to be a very heavy defeat.”

Jane is apparently lady with a deeply held Christian faith.  Stephen, on the other hand, has been quoted as saying:

"We are such insignificant creatures on a minor planet of a very average star on the outer suburbs of one of a hundred thousand million galaxies.  So it is difficult to believe in a God that would care about us or even notice our existence."

And, of course, logic is on his side.  It is almost inconceivable that, should there be a God, he would deign to concern himself with humankind!  In fact, we find very similar thoughts in the words of David in Psalm 8:

‘When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?’

Yes, it truly is almost beyond belief that God should interest himself in our little planet.  Yet the wonderful, amazing, mind-boggling truth is that God, in his infinite love for human beings, came to planet earth as one of us through the birth of Jesus Christ!  As The Message translation puts it:

‘The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighbourhood.’  (John 1:14)

The creation which Stephen Hawking and others study is truly amazing.  But far, far more wonderful is the truth that the One who brought it all into being loves each one of us, and longs that we might know him and love him.

‘How silently, how silently

The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts

The blessings of his heaven.

No ear may hear his coming;

But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive him, still

The dear Christ enters in.’