Light Beyond the Darkness
I recently watched an episode of a National Geography series, Welcome to Earth, in which Will Smith goes 1000 meters (more than 3200 feet) deep in the ocean in a submersible. Now it is important to understand that 1000 meters down is really pretty shallow at the oceans go. The deepest part of the ocean, The Challenger Deep off the coast of Guam is more than 10 times deeper (+11,000 meters or 36,200 feet). Most commercial aircraft fly around 35,000 feet. That means the next time you are in an airplane look out the window, down to the ground, and you can get a sense of how deep our oceans can be.
As Smith and the scientists with him descend deeper and deeper the light gets dimmer and dimmer. Colors fade as more and more wavelengths of light are not strong enough to penetrate the depths. At approximately just 200 meters down, roughly 650 feet, there is no light at all. Roughly 80 percent of their journey to their target depth of 1000 meters is in total darkness. At these depths there is no sunlight to heat the water which remains a pretty constant 39F (4C). At depth, the sub will be subjected to over 1400 psi. Every inch of the sub is experiencing more than 1400 lbs of weight pressure and the sub creaks and moans under the strains. Yet even in this cold and under these pressures, life is abundant. Many of these creatures would earn starring roles in most sci-fi movies these days. Most look like aliens from other worlds, like the “headless chicken monster” as they have nicknamed one such creature (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-T8mebeJuI). It is no doubt a strange and somewhat alien environment.
At one point, after they reach the bottom, they turn off their lights to experience the total darkness arounds them. The darkness is daunting to say the least. Then, they flash the lights a couple of times and only for a moment. What happens next is astonishing. The darkness comes alive with lights. It turns out the most creatures at this depth have bioluminescence. Much like fireflies, the creatures in darkness of the oceans use light to communicate and attract food. They look like fireworks and spirals. They strobe and flash. The sub becomes surrounds by thousands of creatures that shine in the darkness.
At the end of the episode, Will Smith makes a powerful statement about God - “He put light beyond the darkness.” Everywhere we look we see that power of God in the Creation. BEYOND THE DARKNESS, GOD PUT LIGHTS for us to find. Creatures that we wouldn’t discover for thousands of years, God placed in the oceans for us to find one day (Gen 1:20). On the show, they estimate that 99% of life on earth lives in our oceans and state that only ONE PERCENT of our oceans have been explored!! What else will we find that God placed there? What other amazing creatures will testify to the power of our God. I can wait to see them! Praise the Lord for His incredible Creation!
Romans 1:20 - “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made…”