I once had a conversation with someone who claimed to be an atheist. I say claimed because I don’t believe anyone is ever a complete atheist. Romans 1 tells us that although we don’t physically see God, He is revealed to us in all His creation. Therefore, we are all without excuses. (Romans 1:20)
To be an atheist, one must go against their own nature and conscience to try and convince themself that everything we see and experience just randomly happened. While we don’t have enough brain power to understand everything about God, He has given us enough to know intelligent design when we see it. When we deny God’s existence it’s simply a choice we make so we don’t have to be accountable to Him. Just like Satan, it’s not enough that we are created in God’s image, we want to be god. And if God doesn’t exist in our mind, then we are it. We become our own god.
Every living being is a manifestation of God’s presence
We didn’t make ourselves. We didn’t decide to become human one day and begin to knit our bodies together in our mother’s womb. Rather, we found ourselves in a family as a very young child when we first became aware of our existence.
The remarkable body that God designed for us to live in while on earth constantly takes oxygen into our cells. As we take in food, our cleverly designed digestive system breaks it down and distributes the nutrients to every cell in our body. All we have to do is enjoy the meal. God placed within us a pump to keep blood moving these nutrients throughout our body to nourish every single cell. We don’t have the power to stop and start it at will.
Our breathing is automatic and will continue until some disease or outside force causes it to stop. The power and workings of our mind are almost incomprehensible to us. Over time with focus, we can learn almost anything, we’re able to make split-second judgments when needed, and our brain can store an infinite amount of memory. Yet, we had nothing to do with creating any of this. Volumes of books have been written just on the incredible workings of the human body.
God is continually creating new life though our reproductive systems. When a woman gets pregnant, she doesn’t go to work designing a child by picking out his eye color, strengths or weaknesses, etc. Rather, God designs the child from the inside out the way He wants it to be. And we still don’t know how He does that!
It may be easy for us to become proud when we achieve a worthwhile goal, but in reality, the energy, mindfulness, talent, and physical energy all came from our creator. We simply applied the work.
God’s Omnipotence
God is the source of all creation and everything that exists in the universe. We live on a planet where just about everything we need for survival grows from the ground. We don’t think about that when we go to the grocery store and purchase a bag of walnuts, for example, but a tree grew from the ground and produced those walnuts that someone picked and cracked open so we could eat them. And there’s always more. With some care from us, every food will replenish every season. God placed almost everything we need in the ground to sustain life, from food to minerals, fuel, and even jewels. We had nothing to do with any of it. We just pick it or dig out what we need, process it, and enjoy the benefits.
There are depths of the sea that we haven’t even totally explored and the more we learn about our universe, the more we discover that it’s continually expanding. The power of God is easily visible in the creation and maintenance of our earth and the universe. We don’t have to fear climate change, as many today suggest, because God controls the climate. It’s complete arrogance to believe that we can change any of it. Sure we have dominion over the earth and are responsible to take care of it, but that’s the totality of our assignment. God causes the earth to spin each day and to rotate around the sun every year. He placed the tilt of the earth at exactly 23.4 degrees. If it was off by the slightest degree we would either burn up or freeze to death. He promised us in Genesis that while the earth remains, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter and day and night will not cease. (Genesis 8:22) He’s got a hand on the climate change situation.
Forgetting God
If His evidence is all around so we are all without excuse, why do we sometimes forget He’s there? We often get so caught up in our daily tasks and trials that we don’t even think about God much less how He is providing for us. There are careers to maintain and corporate ladders to climb, children to raise, and a hundred other small details of daily life that require our attention. It seems that life requires more and more from us these days, but how much of life’s requirements are actually from God and how much do we unnecessarily put on ourselves?
Life is hectic and demanding and no matter how hard we try. We’ll never get everything right, but below are a few suggestions that may help you and I to slow down and experience the essence of God in daily life.
When stressed
The air is free and there’s plenty of it so stop holding your breath! When we’re stressed, we often hold our breath or breathe shallowly. When you catch yourself in a stressful situation, take a few slow deep breaths. But don’t stop there. While doing that, take a moment to thank God for this life-sustaining substance. You’ll not only get more oxygen in your blood and feel better physically, but by showing gratitude to God, your mood will improve drastically and you’ll think more clearly. It works every time.
When overwhelmed
Whenever trials seem to overwhelm you, just take a little seed break it open, and look at the little plant inside, then cast your gaze up to the heavens at all the heavenly hosts and think about the never-ending universe that’s out there. Our God knows the workings of that tiny seed and how to make it grow into something grand, and He also created every single star, planet, and galaxy in the night sky. He’s big enough to help you with your problem, so ask Him. Jesus told us that if God cares about the smallest sparrow that falls from the sky, He cares about us even more. (Matthew 10:29-31)
When you don’t know your purpose
When you’re not sure why you’re here or what you should be doing, place your hand on your throat or wrist so that you can feel your beating heart. ( Jump or dance around a bit to make it beat harder so you can feel your pulse easier, if necessary.) As long as it’s beating, God has a purpose for you here on the planet. Ask Him to reveal that purpose to you for this day and your life ever after. Your purpose is usually something you are passionate about and also lines up with the talents and gifts God has placed inside you. He will help you pinpoint exactly what that is for you.
When you just don’t understand
There is much in this life that we simply don’t understand and never will this side of heaven. Sickness, disease, and death can invade our life when we least expect it. Our world is fallen and we are sinful creatures. We bring a lot of heartache on ourselves, but sometimes it just happens through no fault of our own. One thing that is evident as we walk through this life is that God will always require an element of faith from us. Sometimes we just have to trust Him.
Never deny God’s existence and leave Him out of your life. He’s always helping you even when you don’t realize it and He longs to be in a relationship with His children more than anything. Blessings always follow those that seek Him.
Blessed are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God. Delighted, they dance all day long, they know who You are, what You do — they can’t keep it quiet! Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us –You’ve been so good to us! We’re walking on air! All we are and have we owe to God.
Psalm 89-15-18 The Message
