In a previous post, I explained how God planted His Universe seed and how it sprouted, grew, and evolved into the Universe as we know it, today. Of course, I am using the seed as a metaphor for what actually happened, because no one knows exactly how God did it. Some pretty smart people have some great ideas, with a lot of evidence to back up their claims. What they have done is taken a very hard, critical look at the mysteries of the Universe and its various components, and came up with explanations that are best supported by the evidence – what makes the most sense. One thing we must respect about true science is the steadfast pursuit of truth, even when it means admitting when something is unknown or even incorrect. Always be wary of scientific claims until you have convincing evidence; if there is jut not enough evidence to convince you, then ask God, “Is their claim reasonable?” Then, be quiet, and allow Him to speak to you, so you will be able to clearly hear His message.
Most scientists agree that the Earth began to form 4.54 billion years ago, as evidenced by the testing of lead deposits in the Earth and the ages of ancient meteorites which crashed into the Earth. Our planet didn’t just fall into space; the Earth began as a space soup made of rocks, ice, dust, and whatever else happened to be in the general area. Gravity caused these things to collect together, and they continued to collect until the ball was very large, dense, and hot. Earth was like a giant molten fire-rock, which, in turn, cooled down enough to form a crust around the Earth. Gasses, like oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen, which gravity trapped around the Earth, became the atmosphere. Brought to the Earth by the crash impacts of comets and meteorites, water vapor condensed and formed a great ocean which almost completely covered the Earth, leaving very little dry land. But that turned out to be one of the necessary factors for life on Earth.
There are two ingredients that are absolutely necessary for life on Earth – water and carbon. Water, made of the elements Hydrogen and Oxygen, is \a great dissolver of substances. Called the “Universal Solvent”, water helps chemicals to react by providing medium in which the chemicals can react to one another in ways they would not normally be able to interact. Water also is a polar molecule – it has negatively and positively charged ends. This enables water to be used to create a wide range of chemicals, due to it’s ability to combine with many other substances to create compounds. Carbon is an atom that forms strong chemical bonds, enabling complex chemicals to be created.
It took life on Earth a long time to eventually become the creatures we have, today – a very long time. Life first began as a single atom. Then, two atoms combined to form a molecule. Two molecules paired up, and so on. After many millennia, a little survival of the fittest, combined with chances of luck, sprinkled with accidents here and there, we end up with DNA as the building block of all life.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is a long, ladder-like molecule that holds the plans/instructions for every living creature. The atoms in a DNA molecule are arranged in such a way that it can be read and used by a cell. Click here for more on genetics. The DNA determines how a creature will grow and develop, among other things, from the time it is “conceived” until it dies. DNA can also determine what diseases people get, people’s eye and hair color, how fast a person’s metabolism runs, how the creature will replicate itself, and a lot more.
God is omniscient – He knows everything. He plans things to happen, but they happen on His timeline. Peter explains God’s timing like this: But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day (2 Peter 3:8). God acts outside of our human time, whether in the now, the past, or the future. He acts when He is ready, not when we desire that He acts.
God set His perfect plan in motion a long time ago, and what we see, now, is just a very small glimpse into His ultimate plan. Sometimes, we do not understand His will, but He has known each and every one of us since before we were even conceived. He knows every circumstance that has caused our every decision; He knows exactly where we came from and exactly where we are headed. Trust Him that He knows you, up and down, left and right, inside and out, and He always has your best interests in mind.
Jesus says, “Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” If God did not love us, He would not have sent Jesus to tell us the Good News, knowing that we would kill His only son.
Humans came from nothing. God created us from nothing, and that is a miracle in and of itself. The Universe has many, many more millennia to live. It will persist as God’s natural laws dictate, and, one day, like every person that lives, it will die. We will not be around to see the death of the Universe, as the Earth will perish with the Sun, when it expands, collapses, and dies. That will not happen, though until the Gospel is preached to every person. And even after that, we do not know God’s plan for His Creation. Nevertheless, those who love God will be with Him when that time comes. Love Him and follow Him, and you will be saved.
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