I don’t know if you’ve ever really thought about it much, but there was a day before big church buildings, Bible studies, and video streaming of church services. In those days, people needed a different way to find and experience God. Just like today, however, God still made himself known to people. They would first recognize God through His creation.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NIV)
God created the heavens and the earth and still holds all things together. But God did it in such a way that we would ask questions and start to find God. It doesn’t take long, after we enjoy the warmth of the noon day sun, until we move under a tree to enjoy its shade. When we do, we eventually ask the question, “Where did that tree come from?” We may investigate, even scientifically, until we learn that the fruit of that tree contains seeds. We may also learn that new trees spring up from the very spot where the old tree’s seed had fallen. We learn that a tree comes from a seed.
The questions, however, do not stop there. Well, then, what tree gave its seed to produce this tree? And where did the one come from before that and then before that? Where did it all start? How did it all begin? These question send us on a search for a Creator. That Creator is God.
Of David. A psalm. The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. (Psalms 24:1-2 NIV)
Even today, with all our scientific instruments and methods, our questions get answered only to drive us to more questions. We put together theories and even recognize laws of nature. That’s because nature is predictable enough to test and learn how it works in very great detail. But we still end up with new unaswered questions.
We reach a point, for example, when we theorize that all matter is built upon building blocks called atoms. Each atom contains protons (which are positively charged), neutrons (which have no charge) and electrons (which are negatively charged). The atoms hold together until they come into contact with certain other atoms, at which point they can swap electrons and change. But then this starts raising all kinds of questions again. Why does this atom swap electrons with that atom but not with that other one? How do the protons and electrons get their electrical charge? Why doesn’t the charge ever wear out? Can I put that stuff into my laptop battery so it doesn’t die in the middle of me writing this post?
No matter how much we learn about creation, it drives us to more questions about creation. These questions drive us to a God who not only created the heavens and the earth, He still holds all things together.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17 NIV)
He is the owner of everything, seen or unseen. He is the Creator-Owner-God.
How about you? What do you see when you look at a tree? What questions do you have when you study science, even in great detail? Do they help you sense God?
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