"Why is the tea kettle whistling?" the wide-eyed little boy inquisitively asked his father. "Well, son, as the heat of the fire transfers to the metal pot, it heats the water to a boil, which goes from a liquid to a gas, which expands through a small opening creating a whistling sound." Puzzled, the little boy shifted his question to his mother. "Why is the tea kettle whistling, Mama?" "Because I'm going to make a cup of tea,” she replied. Clearly, the father answered the “how,” but the mother answered the “why.”
Science originated not from a pagan worldview, but from a biblical worldview. Those who believed God is a God of order, not of chaos, sought to discover how things work and to find consistency in nature and within nature's laws. You can't miss the greatness of God in His creation—from the infinitely complex patterns of mathematics, music, and fractals, to human DNA, to the farthest stretches of space. The Bible tells us in Psalm 139 that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made." That word "fearfully" expresses a sense of awe when gazing into the face of Who is behind the act of creation.
But as fascinating as creation is, it is impersonal! Yes, “The heavens declare the glory of God,” says the psalmist in Psalm 19:1, and science can be applied in searching out the works of our Creator. We can learn all of the "what’s" and the "how’s" of God through the things He has made. But what science cannot reveal is the "why’s" of God. To discover God's moral attributes—such as his love, mercy, kindness, holiness, and justice—we need revelation knowledge which is not discoverable by human wisdom and intelligence.
The Bible is God's revelation of His nature and character to man. It unveils why we are here, why we need salvation, and why God sent His Son, Jesus Christ. All throughout the Bible we learn that Jesus came to reveal to us what God is like; not just His power, but His love and justice as well. Beyond what we learn about God from creation, the pages of Scripture reveal God is merciful and loving. From the Bible we learn that Jesus revealed to us the very heart of God, because He is God!
Mercy and justice are mutually exclusive until the cross of Jesus Christ merged them. Psalm 85:10 says, “Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.” Jesus’ death satisfied both the righteous requirement of a Holy God and His great love for us.
Creation reveals God’s marvelous power and wisdom. But without the Bible we would grope for meaning. Since the beginning of time we have wondered, “What is the purpose of our being and what went wrong? Where did evil originate? What is the plan of rescue from this evil and corruption?”
People may be impressed with raw power and intelligence and beauty today. But these can be sadly impersonal. Power intimidates, as do beauty and intelligence. These things are often only valued in this world as a means to achieve what one wants. But we could not know much about a personal God if all we had was the ability to behold His power, beauty, and strength in creation—and so He reveals Himself personally to us through His Son Jesus.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
The Bible tells us that Jesus is the “Captain of our salvation,” in that He suffered that He might lead us out of death and into eternal life. In this, the personal God reveals His heart of love and compassion for us, His willingness to bear the burden that we might know Him!
Forgetting our true purpose—to know and love God—we find ourselves seeking impersonal things like power, pleasures, and possessions. How shallow these are without a genuine relationship with God and with others!
By the trophies and awards which line someone’s shelf, you will know what a person has done. What you will not understand by these things is who they were as a person. Were they a loving father or mother or a devoted husband or wife? Were they harsh and cynical or patient and kind? There are very few tombstones that list accomplishments, but rather that which is more deeply personal, as a beloved husband or wife or son or daughter.
May we stop to reflect in this season on what really matters? Let's be thankful that God sent His Son to reveal His love and justice and rescue sons and daughters from the effects of sin. God revealed Himself by becoming a Man, the man Jesus, so that He could restore us. He stepped out of eternity into time and showed that we are not alone—you are not alone! Why not pray, open your Bible, and read His Word for yourself? Discover He is the God who is there and knows you and hears your prayers.
Pastor Lloyd Pulley Calvary Chapel Old Bridge