As Little Children

A KINDERGARTEN teacher, skillfully molding clay into miniature human forms, remarked to her pupils that while grown-ups and even children can learn to do this, they cannot give life to the forms which they create. Only God can give life, she observed.

This was a simple lesson, but pregnant with basic truth. The pursuance of its implications could very well lead mankind out of the present bewildering labyrinth of unanswered questions and unsolved problems which are now baffling our brightest minds. It is simply a recognition that man, in his own boasted wisdom, is in reality amazingly limited in his ability to discover the meaning of his existence and the way out of the maze of perplexities and fears with which, through egotism and selfishness, he has enmeshed himself.

Man today has reached an extremely high pinnacle of scientific knowledge. He has learned how to split the atom and to harness the tremendous power thus released. He can fly into outer space; in time, conceivably to the moon, and perhaps Mars and Venus. These, to be sure, are brilliant accomplishments. But splitting the atom has not taught man how to make an atom, nor has it revealed the secret of life.

Man’s limited ability might be illustrated by the case of a child to whom is given a delicate watch and a hammer. It is not too long before the child discovers how to use the hammer to smash the watch to bits. In this gleeful “game” of destruction the mainspring of the watch might well fly out and severely injure the child. So man has discovered how to smash the atom, only to be faced with the threat that the entire human race, or a large portion of it, might be destroyed because of his inability always to make proper use of the power thus released.

The Search for Knowledge

MAN is ever on the search for greater knowledge. This is as it should be. While many laymen conjecture as to whether space flights will ultimately result in the ability to transfer millions of the human race to the moon or to Mars, scientists explain that this is not the objective of the present efforts to probe outer space; rather, that they are seeking knowledge of the universe which is unobtainable merely by peering through a telescope.

This is a tacit acknowledgment of how little we really know of the universe of which we are a part. Whether we gaze into the heavens through a telescope, or observe the beauty and enjoy the fragrance of a rose, even our limited intellects tell us that we cannot understand how these wonders came into being. It doesn’t require too much thought to realize that somewhere in the universe there must be intelligence superior to our own.

Doubters like to raise the threadbare question as to who God is and where he came from. Children often ask this question, and properly so. A five-year-old girl might also ask where her new baby brother came from. The parents could give a partial answer to this question, but refrain from doing so for the reason that the child’s mind is not capable of understanding it in a way to be of practical value to her. Is this not the case with us when we ask questions concerning God the answers to which would be beyond our comprehension?

A dog can be taught many things by its master, but the brain capacity of a dog does not make possible its taking a course in higher mathematics. But this does not prove the nonexistence of higher mathematics. It simply proves the limited brain capacity of a dog.

The capacity of the human brain is much greater than a dog’s, but it is also limited. There is much of reality that our frail minds cannot comprehend, such as the eternal existence of God, and the secret of life. But God does exist, and there is life all around us and within us. The intelligence we do possess leads to the conclusion that all the unexplained marvels of creation are not the outcome of unintelligent chance. Michael I. Pupin, who in 1927 was elected President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, said in an interview:

“When you see a seed grow up after a definite plan into a tree, or see a baby develop into a full grown, self-directing human individuality, can you conceive of it taking place as the result of haphazard happenings? Well, I cannot.”

Some claim that the first life cells originated in what is called protoplasm, not by the design of a Creator, but by chance—a sort of accident. Artificial protoplasm can be produced today, but as one noted scientist observed, it does everything but live. It seems strange that something could happen accidentally millions of years ago which cannot be duplicated today by our most advanced scientific knowledge.

One of the arguments used to support the no-Creator theory of evolution is the similarities between the various species of animals. If one did not evolve from the other by sheer chance, why do they have so many similarities of organism? Actually, this could just as well prove that they were all designed and brought into existence by the one supreme Intelligent Creator.

On the other hand, why not stress the difference, the great variety which exists in creation? There are as many differences as there are similarities. If the similarities of species proves the chance theory of evolution, then the differences would certainly disprove it. Actually, neither the similarities nor the differences in creation, prove or disprove the existence and work of an Intelligent Creator.

We often speak of the laws of nature, but can there be laws without a Lawgiver? The fact that nature’s laws were intelligently designed by a Supreme Being is seen in the occasional exception to the rule. For example, one of the laws of nature is that most substances expand with heat, and contract with cold. But there is a fortunate exception to this law in the case of water, which expands when frozen.

If water contracted when frozen, ice would be heavier than water and would sink to the bottom of the rivers and lakes, forcing the remaining water to the surface, to also become ice with the continuing freezing temperatures of winter. Thus our rivers and lakes would become solid blocks of ice, which perhaps even the long warm days of summer would not fully melt. This would deplete man’s water supply, and interfere with the marvelous circulatory watering system which the Creator designed for the watering of the land surfaces of the earth. Does it just happen that water expands when frozen?

Life

LIFE itself, is an outstanding proof of the existence of a supreme Intelligent Creator. From the ceiling of a cave in England hang a number of beautiful vines, grown from seeds deposited by the water when the cave was a river bed many hundreds of years ago. The dense darkness of the cave had long kept this seed from germinating. But when beams of artificial light were trained upon the crevices in the rocks where the seed was concealed, it “came to life,” and the hanging vines are the result.

Here was life, held captive in tiny seeds for centuries, ready to burst forth and produce gorgeous vines when the opportunity was provided. An earthquake, or other convulsion of nature, had buried them in the darkness of a rocky cave. But life remained in those seeds. Man could produce the circumstances which caused this life to manifest itself that is all. Man in his skill could probably make seed which in every way would resemble the seed buried in the cave, but it would have no life.

Actually, the bursting forth of life in that English cave through the application of artificial light, is happening all around us every day in so-called “natural ways.” The life principle is seen on display in the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air; in the wild and domestic animals of earth; and in man. Its differences of manifestation are dictated by the varieties of organisms through which it operates, animate and inanimate.

Man, of all God’s creations, was given a brain which enables him to inquire how and why he lives, and what his ultimate destiny will be. Besides, man is endowed with an inclination to acknowledge and reverence a higher power. Apart from unfavorable circumstances which breed bias, prejudice, and fear, man likes to think of God as powerful—all powerful—just, loving, and kind, as well as infinitely wise.

The works of creation attest the existence of just such a God. “The heavens declare the glory of God,” wrote David, “and the firmament showeth his handiwork.” (Ps. 19:1) And closer to us are the myriad created things which tell of the Creator’s love, especially for his human creation.

The created things of God which give so much joy to the human heart tell the story of his love to the people of all nations. In this field of communication there are no language barriers. All can understand the message of a sweet-smelling rose, or a singing bird. The happy wagging of a dog’s tail, or the contented purr of a cat, means the same in every part of the world.

The mother’s love for her children is a gift from the Creator which enriches her and gives unspeakable joy to her little ones. Did these deep and blessed emotions of the human breast just happen to come into existence, developing by accident from a jelly-like substance we now call protoplasm?

It is more reasonable to conclude that all the good things which our five senses enjoy, as well as the emotions of mutual love which stir our hearts, are the design of a loving Creator, a Creator who delights to exercise loving kindness throughout the earth. The manifold blessings bestowed by the Creator are evidences of his all-embracing love for his creatures. O God, How great thou art! May we as little children ever recognize our need for thy guidance and help as we seek to know more of thy love!

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