The Alpha and the Omega . . . and Pi

Posted On March 13, 2022

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Revelation 22:13 ESV

“While no mathematician can fully write out the endless series of digits that comprise pi, it is nonetheless vitally important for calculations made by engineers, inventors, artists, and even chefs. Like pi, God is also immeasurable in that we cannot fathom the fullness of who God is. Yet knowing God helps us to make sense of life.”
Luke Ecklund Heberle, The Upper Room

In Revelation 22:13 (ESV), Jesus describes Himself as the “Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Jesus existed before the creation of the universe (John 1:1-2) and He will reign forever (Revelation 11:15). Like a perfect circle, He has no beginning and no end. Speaking of circles (and Greek letters), to math enthusiasts around the world, March 14 (3.14) is known as Pi Day. So this week I thought we’d celebrate it with a pi-themed post! To get us started here is a short explanation of pi:

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:9 NIV

Like pi, God is infinite. His knowledge and power are far beyond ours. Our finite human minds have trouble comprehending Him. Just as the video explains that “curves and straight lines are difficult to make interact without pi”, the Bible explains that God and human beings are difficult to make interact without Christ. Christ is the mediator between us and God (1 Timothy 2:5). He saves us and covers our sins, making a way for us to bridge the gap between our sinful selves and our holy God.

The video also told us “a miraculous thing about circles — that no matter how big or small the circle is, pi is always the same.” This is an amazing concept, and even though students may say they believe it in theory, it becomes much more real and practical if they are given an opportunity to verify it for themselves. They can take a small circle, measure the circumference and the diameter, divide them, and see what answer they get. Then they can do the same with a larger circle. They can keep doing this with all sorts of circles. Soon they not only believe, but they trust because of their personal experience, that for any circle, dividing the circumference by the diameter always gives the same answer: 3.1415926535….

The Bible tells us in Colossians 2:6 that just as we trusted Christ to save us, we can “trust him, too, for each day’s problems” (TLB). This, too, is an amazing concept, and even though we may say we believe it in theory, it becomes much more real and practical if we are given an opportunity to verify it for ourselves. We can take a small problem, trust it to Christ, and see what happens. Then we can do the same with a larger problem. We can keep doing this with all sorts of problems. Soon we not only believe, but we trust because of our personal experience, that for any problem we face, the answer is always the same: Christ.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8 ESV

“We may spend a lifetime calculating the infinite ‘digits’ of God, each one of which brings new wonder, surprise, and perspective to our search to know God. But knowing that God is immeasurable can bring us comfort because the God who holds infinite knowledge in one hand also holds endless love in the other. Today we can rejoice, knowing that while God spans far beyond human understanding, God gives us enough ‘digits’ to know abundant beauty and profound love.”
~Luke Ecklund Heberle, The Upper Room

God knows that we have trouble grasping all that He is and all that He wants for us. So He constantly communicates to us in all kinds of ways. He speaks through His Word, through His Spirit, through other people, through circumstances, and through creation, just to name a few. He wants us to understand His nature and His plan, but most of all, He wants us to understand His immeasurable love for us.

“Do you realize that God desires to communicate His great love to you on a daily basis? He wants you to know how much you mean to Him and how He delights in having a relationship with you. His love may come to you in the form of an unexpected blessing or provision, a call from a loved one, the kindness of a stranger, a favorite Scripture or song, or a hug from a child. Whatever it may be, each day God has a new way of showing how profoundly He cares for you.”
~Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

I have been awed and overwhelmed by the ways God has spoken to me just to offer comfort. When I’m facing doubts, He reminds me of His promises. When I’m feeling anxious or afraid, He reminds me of His presence. When I’m feeling sad or alone, He reminds me that He is there and that He understands. Over and over, He has shown me that He is with me, He is listening, and He’s got me. The same is true for you, too. He is always with us, and He loves us more than we can comprehend. He constantly tells us so. He is our Father, and He created us to be in fellowship with Him. So we can hear Him if we just stop to listen.

” . . . watch for His love. The Lover of your soul never runs out of unique and profoundly touching ways to tell you that He cares about you. So be on the lookout and be grateful. Because there are so many wonderful things He wants to say to you.”
~Charles F. Stanley, God’s Purpose for Your Life

“See how very much our heavenly Father loves us,
for he allows us to be called his children—think of it—and we really are!“

1 John 3:1 TLB

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Jeremiah 33:3 NIV

“Prayer is the communication bridge that links heaven and Earth and allows time to pierce eternity. It permits mortal persons to fellowship and commune with the immortal God, and it provides Him with a channel through which He can communicate with persons far removed from His heaven.”
~Judson Cornwall, Things You Don’t Know About Heaven

I love how Judson Cornwall describes prayer as a link between mortal humans on earth and our immortal God in heaven. Prayer allows us to reach beyond ourselves into eternity. Can I just stop for a second and say, wow! As a sci-fi nerd, just the thought of that awakens my imagination to all sorts of possibilities. Have you ever felt trapped in your life, like this is all there is and you don’t really see the point? Have you ever longed for more? Have you ever wished you could escape into another reality? I have. I think we all have at one time or another. Well, the reason we feel made for more is because we are! We are made for eternity. We are made to do amazing things, things we can’t even imagine. And prayer is how we open a portal into that eternity right now so we can communicate with our infinite God. Not only that, and this really blows my mind, because God is outside of time, the prayers we pray right now can affect not only the present and the future, but even the past. . . . Wow!

“Prayer is the only eternal thing we do while here on Earth. Many of our activities affect our eternal life to come, but prayer participates in it right now. When we incorporate the Scriptures into our praying, we not only enter the eternity of our future, but we also get involved in the eternity of our past and present, for God’s Word is, was, and shall always be. We do not fully comprehend God’s eternal now, but when we pray His Word, we become involved in it right here on the earth.”
~Judson Cornwall, Things You Don’t Know About Heaven

This week’s Scripture passages remind us that God’s infinite greatness, power, and love are far beyond our understanding, but He hears us when we call out to Him and He longs for us to know how much He loves us. When we pray we reach into eternity and commune with our Creator, who makes all things possible. Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things, and He will reign for ever and ever. Amen!

“Genesis begins with God imparting life to mankind, while Revelation ends with God providing eternal life for mankind. It is interesting to see that what God established at the beginning of man’s history comes full circle back to the beginning, welded into a perfect ring of eternity by His love.”
~Judson Cornwall, Things You Don’t Know About Heaven

“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

Psalm 90:2 NIV

References:

• Cornwall, Judson. Things You Don’t Know About Heaven. Charisma House, 2007.
• “Explanation of pi and its importance.” YouTube, uploaded by Tech Insider, 14 March 2017, https://youtu.be/RpWFli2Iz9E.
• Heberle, Luke Ecklund. “Immeasurable God.” The Upper Room, vol. 87, no. 6, January-February 2022, p. 48.
• Stanley, Charles F. God’s Purpose for Your Life: 365 Devotions. Thomas Nelson, 2020.

Images:

• Digits of Pi featured image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay
• Pi with Blue Background image by Andrew Martin from Pixabay (edited by me)
• Infinity Hearts image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay
• Vortex image by 愚木混株 Cdd20 from Pixabay (edited by me)
• Alpha Omega image by Philip Barrington from Pixabay