184 ASTRONOMYANDTHEBIBLE
itfirstappear,stillfeedsit. Thustheshiningoflight
isacontinuingofthecreativeact;itisaprolonging
ofcreation. Watchtheeffectoflightinspringdays
upontheburstingbudsandspringinggrasses,andyou
willnotdoubtthetruth.
HowGodcancontinueto dothisandnotexhaust
Himself,isasillyquestion. DoesGodloseanything?
—Theconservationof energyis alawto whichwe
knownoexception. IntheuniverseofGod,nothing
islost. Theleavesonthisyear'streesmayfalland
wither anddecay; butthey onlydropinto theearth
toenrichthesoil,tofeedtheleavesthataretocome
againinsomelateryears. Wateriscontinuallyleav-
ingthe ocean and enteringthe clouds, later to fall
upontheearthandbatheandrefreshit;buteverydrop
intimegetsback,togooncemoretheselfsameround.
Shall God send light and heat out into space, and
shallitbetherebylosttoHim,andbeyondHispower
togatheritagain? PerhapsHedoesnotcaretogather
itagain;itmayserveotheruses. Wearesure,how-
ever,thatitisnotlost.
''Throughfaithweunderstandthattheworldswere
framedbythewordofGod." Thewordthatframed
theworldscalledlightintoexistence. Thatisallwe
know about it: it wasbythe wordof God. Light
came in obedienceto God's word; andnow itcon-
tinuesbecauseHegaveHiscommand. Bytheutter-
ance of His word, God produced all that fills His
boundlessuniverse;andinthesamemanner. Hecan
causethesuntoproducelightandheatthroughtheun-
tiringages. Thesunshineson,butitisnotconsumed.