Several years ago, I was befriended by an atheist. That was not his original intent. He sought out a pastor with the goal of refuting the Christian faith. His aim was to turn me away from Christ.
He came armed with questions about Scripture and “facts” about science. But over the course of eighteen months—through open and honest dialogue, listening, and sharing—he became one of my closest friends and, more importantly, my brother in Christ.
During our journey, he began to realize that some of the beliefs he held about the world through science required more blind faith than Christianity ever asks of us. He saw that the Bible could be proven historically more easily than some of the scientific principles in which he had placed so much trust.
As I’ve watched the observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS confound scientists, I’ve often been reminded of those early conversations about science and the theories that many in the scientific community regard as “facts” that they believe disprove God.
Faith in Theories vs. Faith in Truth
My friend would often approach me with what he believed to be contradictions in God’s Word or with scientific “facts” that he thought disproved intelligent design. Yet each time—by God’s grace and wisdom—he walked away with answers about the Bible he once doubted and new questions about the science he was beginning to lose faith in.
The basic strategy of my debates with him was to peel back the layers of the onion of both the Bible and science, because I believed that what we would find was one based upon truth and one based upon a lot of assumptions. That is exactly what we found—the truth of the Bible next to the assumptions behind so-called “facts” of science. This is not to say that all science is not fact-based, because most of it is. But the science that supposedly refutes intelligent design is grounded in theoretical science that is simply just that: theory, not fact.
A God Too Great to Be Measured
As the story of 3I/ATLAS continues to unfold, and as the greatest scientific minds are left bewildered by this interstellar object, let it serve as a reminder to us as believers: Our God is a BIG God—the Creator of all things.
God made man’s heart and mind to desire understanding, yet He is too vast, too holy, and too glorious to be fully comprehended by human intellect—at least on this side of eternity.
While the world looks on in confusion—some even theorizing alien technology—this is God’s reminder of just how big He is. Some will worship; others will doubt.
Believer, look on with wonder at how marvelous our God is. Take note, and give Him praise.
He [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.
— Ecclesiastes 3:11–13
Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created.
— Psalm 148:3–5