He Knows Me

ABC News interviewed world-renowned physicist, Stephen Hawking. When Diane Sawyer asked him about life’s greatest questions, he said he would like to know why the universe and humans exist. When she asked him if he believed that it was the work of God. "What could define God [is thinking of God] as the embodiment of the laws of nature. However, this is not what most people would think of that God," Hawking told Sawyer. "They made a human-like being with whom one can have a personal relationship. When you look at the vast size of the universe and how insignificant an accidental human life is in it, that seems most impossible." (http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Technology/stephen-hawking-religion-science-win/story?id=10830164) He went on to declare that ‘science will win’ over religion in providing an answer to his question.

Dr. Hawking is brilliant and understands things I can’t grasp in the most rudimentary manner. I would not be foolish enough to try to engage him in debate about physics. But, believe he misunderstands faith which I accept, confusing it with superstition, which I reject. I agree with him that humanity appears insignificant in terms of the vastness of the universe, but rather than see that as a reason to posit that God could not exist as a Personal Being, I see it as an amazing wonder that strongly suggests that He does. That in all the wideness of the universe there is a little planet called Earth, which exists with such perfect balance, allowing the human race to thrive, argues for an Intelligent Being, a Designer, the Creator. Yes, we are tempted to make God in our image! But, He has revealed to us that we are actually made in His!

It is illogical to think that the Creator would care for me and you, if God is like us, limited in love, derailed by selfishness. But, He is infinitely loving and selfless. He knows me! Jesus’ famous illustration of the detail of His love is that ‘He numbers the hairs on your head.’ After a lifetime of inquiry and study, Hawking says he can only find meaning in work, that it what he does that makes life worth living. Yes, Dr. Hawking, our work is important, but the real purpose of life is to know God and to be known by Him. Work alone will leave us with the conclusion of the preacher who said, “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2, NIV) "So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (Ecclesiastes 2:17, NIV)

Faith and science should not compete, nor should one be seen as triumphing over the other. True faith and true science are aligned. Science always comes to the unexplainable, and even a brilliant mind like that of Dr. Hawking finds impenetrable mystery at the edges of their inquiries. At that point, faith points the way forward to where God reveals Himself. It is a tragedy that religion, based in fear, often opposes science. This only creates barriers to understanding and blindness of superstition. As a man of faith, I do not fear the honest scientist, and he has nothing to fear in me. The God Who knows me is the God of Truth.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." (Psalm 19:1-4, NIV)

So, this is my prayer, and may it be yours:
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14, NIV)

_____________________

O Lord, my God,
When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds
Thy hands have made;
I see the stars,
I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy pow'r thru'out
The universe displayed.

Then sings my soul,
My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul,
My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
And when I think
That God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die,
I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross
My burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died
To take away my sin.

When Christ shall come
With shout of acclamation
And take me home,
What joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration,
And there proclaim,
"My God, how great Thou art!"

How Great Thou Art



Hine, Stuart © 1941,1953,1955, Stuart K. Hine, Renewed 1981 Manna Music, Inc. ARR UBP of Manna Music, Inc. (35255 Brooten Road, Pacific City, OR 97135)

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