God in Creation
Some may be particularly struck by the intricate beauty of a flower. Others are amazed at the majesty of the night sky, especially when seen away from the intrusive lighting of our towns. Gazing heavenwards to look at the light of distant stars, especially if using a telescope and in some remote place, the number of stars and the vastness of the sky can be awe-inspiring.
For others, it is to delve with a microscope into the intricacies of the cell. The detail and ‘technology’ which we find in this building-block of living material can be breath-taking.
Many people look at the remarkable phenomena in nature and see quite clearly that everything has been designed by a divine creator.
Sadly there are many others who see nothing of the sort. They will not accept that the wonder and beauty of our world is evidence of a designer or creator. They see the diversity, beauty and stunning precision of this world only as evidence of blind chance. This conveniently removes the need to acknowledge the existence of a divine power.
Such an approach seems to stretch reason beyond its limits, and to go well beyond established scientific principles. It demands we accept that creation is the result of random coincidences far more unlikely than any lottery yet devised.
Knowing More about God
We may deduce some facts about the Creator and Designer of the world from looking at the earth on which we live. The fact that He made everything makes it clear that He is powerful. We see that He loves order and sets clear rules, because those laws govern nature.
However, this alone will not tell us much about the character or purpose of God. For more detail we need to turn to the revelation God has made of Himself, to His word, the Bible.
Right from the outset, we notice that the Bible is totally in harmony with what we deduce from observation. The very first verse of the Bible tells us that it was indeed God who made all things.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).
The message is repeated in different contexts throughout the Bible, for example:
I have made the earth, and created man on it. I – my hands – stretched out the heavens, and all their host I have commanded (Isaiah 45:12).
So the Bible is in agreement with what we can see, at whatever level we look. This means that to use the Bible as our source of information about God is totally logical.
When thinking about God, we really need to look at God’s word to see what else it tells us about Him. This is a remarkable privilege; the Creator invites us to get to know Him and has given us this record so that we can do so. In the Bible He tells us about what He is like, what is His purpose with the world, and the relationship He wants with men and women.
The approach of ‘Thinking about God’ accepts that we shall never really understand God fully, His mind is too wonderful, His power too great for that. The Psalmist recognised this when he wrote:
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it (Psalm 139:6).
However, we can look at what we are told and think about Him. Jesus told us that this is a great privilege, and that it can lead to living for ever:
“And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).