The hand of God in the wonders of Nature!

“All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Some years ago, in Bhopal, India, poison gas leaked into the air through an industrial mishap. Disaster struck when people living in the vicinity of the factory inhaled noxious fumes. Even today memories of that dreadful day haunt those who survived, when Death came brandishing his blade, riding on the very air they breathed. For most of us, what happened in Bhopal was a freak incident, not likely to happen to us. Although we pollute the air, we can breathe it, without the threat of disease or death, because gales of pure air drive out stagnant clouds of pollution. It is God’s way of continuing the supply of air. And he levies no charges for his services.

     Consider water. Without it, could we live a day? Do we pay for it? Not really. The paltry sum we pay for the supply of water to our homes does not give us a true sense of its value, so much so that we waste it. The abundance of water around us gives us the assurance that the waters of the earth will not run dry. That God will replenish dwindling stocks through life-giving rain. “Can any idols of the nations, bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Is it not you, O Lord our God?” Jer.14: 22.

     What about the beauty around us? My first son Leo organized a short holiday for the family at a Malaysian Resort, on one of the many islands that dot the South China Sea. We motored down from Singapore to the jetty where we would have to take a boat to the island. By the time we got there, the last speedboat for the night had gone. Now, only a slow boat was available, which would take over three hours to reach the island. Reluctantly we boarded the slow boat. In about half an hour we chugged away from the city lights and were mid-ocean. Suddenly, the star-spangled sky burst upon us. With no moon, the sky was a luminescent black, cloudless and immense; only millions of stars twinkled. As I looked at the countless stars, I wondered why the Creator had so many of them, each with a name and purpose (Ps. 147: 4 - “He determines the number of stars; he gives to all of them their names”). As the stars tumbled off his fingers and twirled into space, he gave each of them a reason to be there. I had seen star-filled skies before, but never one like this! That sight was etched in my memory as I thanked God for putting us on the slow boat, and not on the speedboat. There is a purpose in all He wills and permits!

     What about the sights, smells and sounds of Nature? Watch a breathtaking dawn, when day wakes and shadows retire, when darkness cannot linger as the gates of morning are opened; or the beauty of a sunset, as night drives back day, with the Divine Artist at work. “The one who turns blackness into the morning and darkens day into night” Am.5: 8. Wait, the show is not over. As evening lowers its dark mantle over the earth, a blood-red tropical moon casts its eerie glow. Wait a little longer to see twinkling stars adorn the dark sky. What a sight to behold, when night takes a deep breath and holds it!

     We stand in awe as jagged bolts of lightning touch turbulent waters of the sea; and are amazed at the power of the storm as it uproots and splinters giant leaf-clad monarchs of the forest. The wonder continues. We are stunned at the dexterity of the wind as it hurriedly sculpts the waters of the ocean into moving mountains, even as rumbling thunder and pelting rain lend awe to the scene. Even in its fury, Nature is beautiful! And when Nature is calm, we thrill at her music – rustling leaves, whistling winds and the lapping of waves on the beach. Awesome!

     Look at the animal kingdom – the grace and variety astound us – the strength of Samson in the elephant, the galloping grace of the horse, the astonishing speed of the cheetah, and the faithfulness of the dog. Take the ant that we squash without a thought. There are 150 species of ants. They are faithful to their tasks and do them without supervision or applause. They do not procrastinate. When an anthill is damaged, they get together and repair it, working as a team, not quitting even when the task is difficult, and not arguing over the job to be done. They seldom sleep, and store food for the future. They live for about 45-65 days but achieve much in that time. Watch how they work for a common purpose: When they have to cross water, they roll themselves into a ball and float. No wonder Proverbs 6:6 points us to the industrious ant: “Go to the ant you lazybones, consider its ways and be wise”.

     Who showed the bird how to build her nest? Who taught the spider to weave her web where insects are tangled, but not she? Who instructed bees to gather precious honey from willing flowers and unload their sweet cargo into hives? Researchers catalog more than 50,000 types of spiders, 2500 different mosquitoes and 1500 kinds of scorpions. (Source: Dangerous Creatures, by Angela Wilkes). Why this staggering variety, when a few would have served the purpose?

     We can enjoy life to the full only when we have bodies that house our souls. Rejoice at the miracle we call the body. Every single cell of the entire body is changed once in seven years. The average person possesses 500 to 700 different skills and abilities. The nose can smell ten thousand different odors. Human touch can detect an item 1/25,000 of an inch thick. The tongue can taste one part of quinine in two million parts of water. The brain can store one trillion facts. No super computer can duplicate the brain in nuanced thinking. No high-tech robot can perform all the tasks that the human limbs can. No sophisticated factory can match the highly refined and super-efficient digestive system, which operates on its own; we do not control it. No camera can do what the human eye can. At the rate of 70/75 beats every minute, our hearts - weighing about 11 ounces - beat about 100,000 times every day, pumping blood through about 60,000 miles of blood vessels, to every cell in our bodies. Every day the heart generates enough energy to drive a truck for about 20 miles. The heartbeats add up to 35 million a year and 2.5 billion in an average lifetime. Medical science tells us that every contraction of the heart is similar to the effort it would take to hold a tennis ball in our palms and give it a hard squeeze. The heart beats non-stop for a lifetime - 70/80/90 years; and we take no conscious part in the work it does. Is there a man-made machine that can work trouble-free for that long? And we have all these, as gifts - at no charge. No wonder the psalmist proclaimed: “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” - Ps.139: 14.

     In Genesis we read of God creating Adam. After him many people were created. Now, the population of the world is about eight billion – which means that many, many billions came after Adam. What is special? Not one of the many billions is a clone, a copy - even twins who may resemble each other are not identical. Each is unique. The fingerprints, eyes, faces, voices, thoughts, emotions, dreams and natures are different. God did not use Adam’s body as a mold or template to create others, unlike humans who use dies and the assembly line. Instead, as a tribute to His creative genius, he fashioned each of the works of His hands as a masterpiece. You and I are masterpieces of our Creator!

     We buy tickets to visit Art Galleries and Art Exhibitions, and to attend concerts and watch magic shows, but do not pay a cent to rejoice in the works of God. It is easy to dismiss these wonders as manifestations of Nature. What is Nature? The Oxford Dictionary defines Nature as: the physical world, including plants, animals, the landscape and natural phenomenon, as opposed to things made by man. So, if all these things are not made by man, who else could have created them? It should have taken a super-intelligent, super-efficient, super-abundant, and super-creative genius to put together what we see, hear, smell, touch, taste and enjoy! We call that Supreme Being, God, because he is the Source. What kind of God does Nature reveal? Nature shows us a God of might, of unexcelled intelligence, of order, (confirmed by Paul: “God is a God not of disorder” ~ 1. Cor. 14: 33), of beauty, and a master of intricate detail, who controls powerful forces (Rom. 1:20). Therefore, men are without excuse when they refuse to believe in him. Proud man, smug in his assumed independence, will not genuflect in thanksgiving, choosing instead, to deny the existence of God, or at best, give him another name - Intelligent Design. Man chooses to rebel against him with the very gift that God gave him - free will. But God does not react because He is infinitely merciful. Wisely, man should not disregard his infinite justice, which is the other side of his infinite mercy!

     Returning to the works of the Creator, and reverentially looking at his marvelous works born of his mercy, my finite mind cannot comprehend the mystery that surrounds me. 

I can only conclude with the Psalmist:

When I look at your heavens,
 the work of your fingers,
 the moon and the stars that
 you have established;
 what are human beings that you
 are mindful of them,
 mortals that you care for them? - Psalm 8:3-4.