Outside My Window

Dr. Mike Murphy

As I look outside my window, I see the sun begin to rise. The colors that fill my sight as the sun peeks over the horizon, makes me pause. It sparkles through the leaves of the trees, and it glistens off the dew, reflecting with a brilliance that captures my eyes. As the sun continues to rise, it reveals to me the beauty of this world around me. Each moment seizes my sight with the uniqueness of this creation, and shows its’ purpose in each passing second of this day. As I look outside my window, I cannot help but smile, as I think of the Hand that created all this around me. Of the purpose that each glimpse gives me. Of His plans that allows each ray of light to unfold in front of me. If I look closely at each glimmer and flicker of the sun as it rises, I can still see His hands at work in front of me. And I see the beauty and love that He alone has orchestrated for me.

As I look outside my window, I see the realness of those Hands. A daily reminder to me of the Lord above me. Each ray of sun erases all doubts, and fills my day with a comfort and a certainty. And as I look outside my window, I wonder how anyone could not believe. How they could see what I see, and not fall to their knees. How can their eyes not be overwhelmed by what I see outside my window?

But each day, I am told how I am confused by what I see. That outside my window does not lie a purpose and a plan, but coincidence and chance. That the beauty I see is accidental, not created for my eyes to see, but an aimless incident that is random of intent. I am told that I do not need to look to God to explain what I see outside my window, that I only need to look to my fellow man. That in man’s mind I will find the explanation, in science I will find all my answers. But as I look to what man defines as science, I see reasoning and interpretation that can never illustrate for me the why and the how. And in the hands of science, I do not see the answers being held. And as I look outside my window, I wonder why science cannot see the obvious that my eyes see, the beauty and purpose of God that is fulfilled with each sunrise.

The world today often teaches a conflict between science and God. But if we look closely, is there actually a conflict there? Is there a real conflict between what God’s Word tells us, and what science wants to show us? Does science lead us on a path away from God, or does true science reveal to us the brilliance and purpose of God?

The dictionary defines science as “the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment”. Science is a way for mankind to better understand the nature of this world around us. Science teaches us knowledge through observation, and science allows man to expand in both logic and imagination. But we must remember, science has its’ limitations. Unlike God, who knows no limits. Despite what many might tell you, God and science does not have to be contradictory in the minds of Christians. We can have complete faith in God and still have a healthy respect for science. We just have to remember, which One is perfect and which one is flawed.

Science is based on predictability and possibilities. Science has often led us to great advancements, but science has also led us to great mistakes. We cannot place our faith in science because of its’ imperfections, and because how many times history has shown us that science is wrong. Science once told us that the world was flat, that wind only blew in a straight direction, that every star in the sky was the same, and that people should be bled in order to cure sickness. And as we look around us today, we still see the mistakes that science makes. I will give you a perfect example of this. I am a big sports fan, and often times, like many of you, I haved watched games that had amazing endings. I have seen teams come back that were way down, with only seconds left. In many of these games, science has stated that what the team did in coming back was impossible. Even after the game was over, and the outcome known, science has said that what we saw happen was impossible, against all the principles of science. But as our eyes have shown us, science can and will be wrong. It is for this reason we cannot place our faith in science, only in the perfection of God.

Science can only explain to you what it understands, and can only lead you where the probabilities take you. Science is limited in what it can tell you. The things that we see with certainty around us, science often does not have an answer for. Each day as we watch the news, we see both evil and good. We watch events happen, and we see different people react differently to these situations. Watch any city riot take place and you will see this. As the anger builds and buildings are destroyed, you will watch people react in different ways. Some you will see act in the lowest manner possible. Looting, killing, and burning everything around them. Using the circumstances of the moment to justify their actions. Others, you will see rise to the occasion. Protecting those around them, looking to help those in need, and placing their own life at risk to stand for what is right. In these. you see the same circumstance bring out a completely different response. One reaction of good, another one of complete evil.

So what would lead two different people in two opposite directions? One led toward good, the other toward evil. Science cannot tell you. Science cannot explain why one of these would act with good and the other with evil. As a matter of fact, science cannot even explain to you good and evil itself. Science has no clue why good and evil both exist. And when science sees both, it ignores both, and only concentrates on the situation at hand. But how do you fully understand the situation if you take the mindset of man out of the equation? You cannot, and it is for these reasons that science cannot answers many of the basic questions that surround us each day.

But what science can never explain, God explains perfectly. The free will that He gives to all of us, easily fills in the gaps that science will never have an answer for. Free will allows each of us to choose good or to choose evil. To choose God, and to follow His ways. Or to reject God, and follow the selfish ways this world will show us. Despite what some might tell you, science does not lead you away from God, but leads each of us directly to God. Science shows us our need for God, as without God, nothing science teaches us can ever make complete sense.

Truth does not serve as the enemy of the Christian, but is actually our best friend. Truth shows us the failure of our own limited knowledge, and the perfection of God’s infinite wisdom. The Word of God tells us, “The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”(Psalm 19:1). Science proclaims the truth of these words. Science confirms what ours eyes shows us. Science gives authenticity to what each Word of God tells us. Science reaffirms the purpose and beauty I see outside my window.

But as I look outside my window, I understand that science can never show me the greatest proof of God’s existence. That proof does not lie outside my window, it is found inside of me. It is found in the difference that Christ alone has made in my life. A proof no theory could explain, and no hypothesis could disclose. Science could never explain to you what Christ has done in me. No answer of science can be found in Christ taking a selfish, self-centered man, and making him into a man that God finds purpose in. No scientist could ever explain the love that caused God to reach into the heart of this undeserving man, a love so strong it made him whole. No science class ever taught me a word for the grace He brought to me, or to the assurance the Holy Spirit has placed in me. There was no probability or predictability in the change that Christ has brought to my life. In Christ, I have only found certainty. A certainty that washed me clean. A certainty that brought words of mercy and hope to my lips. A certainty that drives me each day to speak His name to all who will hear. A certainty that brings tears of joy to my eyes, each time I see the glory of God that lies outside my window.