How many grains of sand are in one handful?
According to the scientific determination cited, there are approximately 10,000 grains of sand in one handful. That figure was used to illustrate that more stars exist in space than grains of sand on all the world's beaches. The number is not exact but represents a scientific estimate.
Les explains that in 2 Timothy 1:7, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power. He shares an illustration from Parade magazine's Ask Marilyn column. A father told his child that for every grain of sand, there is a star in space. Marilyn replied that Carl Sagan scientifically determined there are about 10,000 grains of sand in a handful. From that, he concluded there are more stars in space than grains of sand on all the world's beaches. Les uses this to emphasize the vastness of God's creation and power.