My soul will never allow me to let science overrule the Word of God.
I think that science and the Word of God can work together beautifully. However, time has proven, that most choose to honor/worship scientific explanation over God’s explanation.
Why is human nature so against the natural way of God?
If God is the creator of all, then He is the “go to guy” when it comes to trying to understand the why and how of things. While reading the Bible this morning I was reminded of God’s design of things and it made me want to write about what this post’s theme is. Here is the simple passage I read…
“Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob.
He turned the rock into a pool of water;
yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock.”
Pslam 114:7-8
When the earth trembles, it’s an earthquake. The rocking and rolling of the very foundation we rely so stably on. I have experienced an earthquake while in California. It is a strange and insecure feeling when the solid floor beneath your feet begins to rock and roll. Insecurity takes over when the foundation is moving beneath your feet! When insecurity starts to rule, we naturally start grasping for answers. Our culture and nature have taken us to rely deeply on science to give us those answers. Science seems to have stolen the throne from the Creator…the Father…the wold party host, the know all.
People love science, because it seems to give secure answers to questions we worry about. But, science uses human knowledge to understand the mysterious and difficult things that God has created. I don’t blame anybody for being curious. I don’t blame people for desiring security even if its the false kind.
I’m a why guy, so I am always thinking through the “layers of why” that ultimately are the cause of anything. So, I think God smiles at science. Why? Because God is the ultimate parent. Any good parent loves to see his/her children play hide and seek during a party gathering. I think it gives our Father in Heaven great pleasure to see his children seeking after the things that He has hidden. I think He hid things to keep us busy during this giant earthly party we all attend. The childlike nature in me sees this world as a giant hide and seek game. Even Jesus said He came to “seek”.
It all seems fun…right up to the point where the Father no longer gets the credit for his masterminded plan for the party. The party gets going to the point where the party attenders no longer desire the party planner to be a part of the party. This kind of party never ends well.
A hide and seek game can get out of control when the planner, who has the answers, is no longer around to share the hints. It can become a form of a quiet riot, where the party bully shouts…
“you gotta fight for your right to paaarrrrttt-ay!” 🙂
Without the party planner and host, the party becomes unpredictably dangerous, and the bully tends to take over. Depending on what the bully believes and does, is what sets the tone for the rest of the party and party attenders. If you don’t agree with the bully, then you are also asked to leave the party, or at the very least, belittled. Most people love a party, so they don’t question the bully for fear of being asked to leave.
I am in awe of the Creator of the party, for allowing his creation to push Him out. That is a loving God who honors the choices of His creation. God is not a bully. God doesn’t force Himself on anyone at the Party.
If we ask God, the great party planner, to step out of the party … then He steps out… and then we are left to the mercy of the bully. Bully’s don’t have much mercy. It can be brutal to live in the shadow and the dominance of the bully.
Who is the bully in this “One Nation under Godlessness”? The bully is the one who controls the information outlet. The bully is the one who has the ability to get the most attention in our homes and minds. You decide who that currently is. I think it is obvious. But I won’t be a bully.
So…here’s my deal…
I’ve never been a party fan. I would prefer to leave the party early. Once I have honored the party host and arrived to show the host my appreciation, say hello to some good friends, and catch up a little….I then prefer to leave.
In this great earth party I’m talking about, the host isn’t welcome anymore. If the host isn’t present at the party, then I have no desire to attend the party and listen to the bull of the bully. I despise the bully. I’ll call the police on the bully when the party gets out of control. I’ll throw the bully under the bus and point out where the party has gotten dangerous and is causing damage to the people at the party. At my worst/best…I will walk into the party again just to get in the face of the bully and call his bluff. I hate this kind of party and therefore I don’t get drunk on the bull of the bully.
What about you?
Are you drunk from the bully at the host-less party? Have you drunk the spiked kool-aid to the point where you won’t even pick up the party manual anymore? Are you so drunk from all the bully’s bull that you don’t even remember the party host? Have you taken your drunkenness to the extent that you have allowed the bully to attach you to the IV where you now just allow the drip-drip-drip of information, not found in the party owner’s manual, to fill your veins and control your mind? Have you become a host-less party junkie? Are you a part of the quiet riot?
I write the analogy above to say this…have you, even unknowingly, asked God to step out of the party and bought the bull? If you have questions and curiosity, do you first turn to the drip-drip-drip of the science and the bully, or to the Party planner’s manual?
God, the Party Planner, is so kind and good that when He was asked to leave the party, He made sure to leave the Party Manual behind. The Bible is the manual to all things life. If God did the hiding and the creating of the mysteries that keep us so curious, then He also gave us the “secrets and hints” book….The clue book that leads us to the thrilling discovery of truth. The truth to how this party is supposed to be run.
So, back to my point about earthquakes. Can you really give me the why behind an earthquake? Do you rely on the bully and his/her information to give you the why? The bully of science is loaded with answers that tease you to thinking you have security. Don’t buy the bull. I have no security about my next 5 minutes. So..I trust in the party planner. My security is in His hands. All my answers are in His hands.
Why wouldn’t you seek your answers about why an earthquake happens from the creator of the earthquake? He gave you a manual with answers to your questions. Or has the bully got you to thinking that the manual is fiction? “Drip-drip-drip-drip-drip… … … … … … … … Please…pull out the IV and seek the owners manual.
According to the passage above, the earth trembles because of the presence of the Lord.
The following passages in Scripture are accounts of actual earthquakes and why they happened. You read and you decide. (Just click the link to read the Bible verses) Put science away for a few and just soak in the owners manual. There are 9 earthquakes clearly mentioned in the Bible…it could be more…but I only picked the very obvious earthquakes. I will only give the references for you to click on or look up in your own Bible and you can choose to read the individual accounts or not. I will also share a quick paragraph below that summarizes the why of the earthquakes.
A review of the 9 earthquakes listed above shows that virtually the entire story of the Bible can be summarized by its connection to acts of God. If you think about the stories above…I’m sure the scientist of the day tried to explain why the earthquakes were happening….they probably blamed it on global warming! 🙂 LOL But, only a few knew the real reasons as to why. We are fortunate to have the historical record in the Bible…the Owner’s Manual. The specific Biblical events emphasized by earthquakes are Noah’s Flood, the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, authentication of the leadership of Moses, the crucifixion of Jesus in Jerusalem, the resurrection of Jesus, the ministry of the apostles and the church.
Earthquakes have been used by God to highlight some of the most important events of world history. The three main purposes for biblical earthquakes are judgment, deliverance, and communication. The lesson seems obvious to me—significant things in “nature” happen as an act of God to tell us something important. God is always speaking and working and demonstrating His power and love. Are we paying attention anymore? Have we asked the creator of this giant world/party to shut up and leave the party?
In our fast-paced, man-centered, technology-based society of the twenty-first century, God would have us pause and consider His world party leadership nature. His purpose…His plan. Whether you like it or not…whether hundreds of thousands are hurt or killed in these earthquakes…God is still God. Jesus is still Jesus, and if Jesus is who He says He is…then He is returning whether you like Him or not…believe in Him or not. He will have the final say.
Are you sure you want to rely on tectonic plates and science as the main reason for earthquakes?
Might God be trying to say some things, while too many are no longer listening?
Are you regularly using the owners manual/Bible to understand how the world, nature, global changes, your personal relationships, and even your very own heart, mind and soul, work? … Or are you going to rely on science and human wisdom? (I warn you to not rely on human wisdom…The Bible says something about that too…read it here 1 Corinthians 1:18-29
It is possible to use both…but both only work together when they invite the creator of the party to continue to lead the party.
Are you regularly spending time reading the owner’s manual to how this Giant Blue Planet and the little tiny things that live upon it, work?
The creator and His one and only Son want to move into your soul and lead your life and all your understanding.
If you let them in…you will never be the same and you will never view the world the same.
If you have asked God to leave your world…please invite Him back in.
God loves you….so do I. If I can help you with anything, just ask. I’ll do my best.
I’d like to end with this Bible passage… Pslams 117 (The shortest chapter in the Bible)…unlike this blog post! 🙂