Johannes Kepler was a distinguished 17th century German astronomer and mathematician. His laws of planetary motion modified the earlier work of Nicolaus Corpernicus and provided one of the foundations for Isaac Newton’s theory of universal gravitation. Kepler was a Christian who believed that God created the universe in an orderly fashion and that the laws of nature can be discerned by the human mind. God wanted human beings, whom he created in his own image, to share in his own thoughts. In his studies of the universe Kepler said, “I am merely thinking God’s thoughts after him.”
In recent years the advance in scientific knowledge has been greater than at any time in human history. Our understanding of how planet earth and the universe function has greatly increased. But, unlike Kepler and Newton, many modern scientists do not believe in God. They see no divine hand and wisdom that conceived and brought into being all things in an orderly way, even though they can use the orderly principles they discover to accomplish many wonderful things. They believe the universe all happened “by chance” over millions of years. So, there is no one to give thanks to and to worship.
One of our great preoccupations is global warming and climate change. It is right that, as human beings, we should do all we can to reduce the speed of global warming. The book of Genesis tells us that when God created all things he appointed Adam and his successors as his vice regents: “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”
In every aspect of our personal lives and the history of the universe we need to remember God. He has a definite purpose for his creation and for everyone who lives in it. He is upholding and sustaining all things. So, like the man who wrote Psalm 121, we can look to him and put our trust in him, “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”