I believe that science is a window to understanding God.
When I was thirteen, my family embarked on an astronomy spree. We bought a telescope, studied star charts and learned the jargon. On cold winter nights we’d bundle up and drive into the wilds of Harford County, Maryland, looking for the field with the biggest sky. Our eyes would slowly adjust as we used little red flashlights to assemble the telescope. Then, our toes and fingers defined only by their coldness, we’d gaze into the darkness. The stars: pinpoints of brightness cutting through the cold, clear air, enveloping the night in numbers upon numbers; lights I know, but can’t comprehend, are immense orbs of flaming gases, continually bring me one step further on the unending journey to understanding the vastness of the God who created them.
Remember learning that the stars are as big as the sun, only farther away? That those tiny white dots of the dark are equivalent to the yellow sphere dominating the day? I don’t recall whether I was stunned by this idea or whether I merely accepted it as fact straight from my all-knowing mother. But this science blows my mind now. I look up at those pricks of light, and realize that they represent a world beyond experience. When I look at the stars, I’m actually looking back in time. The light I see is light from thousands of years ago. God must be mighty indeed, to create a universe such as this. His power must exceed the energy spewed out from the burning stars. This universe is unending, but the one who established it is even bigger.
Science assumes that God operates in a logical, explainable way and explores the patterns He uses. Through science I am studying God’s work and therefore I’ll develop a wider, more complete view of God. His universe shows us something of His character, displaying His power and creativity.
Others may think that once I get into the science and realize how everything works, that everything can be explained, that my God will grow smaller and smaller. There will be nothing left for Him to do. Yet when we look at the work of Claude Monet and absorb its power, recognizing his techniques, does it diminish his genius? Does explained technique devalue the artist’s skill? The creation is marveled at; it inspires awe merely by existing. However, we often leave not merely saying, “That was an inspirational piece,” but also with an appreciation for the artist. This is the same with science. Star-gazing in that field, realizing I am whirling through the midst of those spinning stars and galaxies, doesn’t diminish my awe of the Creator, but rather increases it. The truth is greater than anything I could imagine. The more I look into this world’s intricacies, the more I understand it, the bigger my view of God is. Because He established it. Nature is God’s art, and science seeks to understand that art.