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A wondrous world where living beings work together
(an article published in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Fall 2024 edition)
We live in an amazing world! Life surrounds us—animals of all kinds and sizes—from fish to birds, elephants to tiny insects, as well as plants with beautiful flowers, prickly cactus, and trees of all sizes and shapes. Plus, there is life we cannot see with the naked eye—super tiny creatures with their own function and purpose. And of course, we are alive! People of all sizes, shapes, and skin colors live on Earth.
But there is more beyond Earth—an amazing universe full of stars, comets, planets, and other galaxies beyond our own Milky Way. Where did it all come from? Why is there life on Earth?
Some people think our universe popped into existence on its own. These scientists believe a giant explosion ("The Big Bang") long ago caused everything (stars, planets, life) to come into existence. But other scientists know that God created the universe—Earth and every living thing on this beautiful planet.
God tells us clearly in the Bible, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1) and "‘Ah Lord GOD! behold, Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and outstretched arm, and there is nothing too hard for Thee’" (Jeremiah 32:17).
The universe is very complex. Scientists estimate there are trillions of planets. Our Earth is filled with life … much of it too small to see without a microscope.
And many things work together to sustain life. Plants and animals need each other. Bees gather nectar from flowers to produce honey, and by doing this, they pollinate other plants, which in turn produce fruits, nuts, and vegetables that other living creatures enjoy as food to live, grow, and reproduce.
God made a wondrous world where living beings work together. Because of how amazing nature and the universe are, we know there is a God who made it all possible.
Everything in life is made up of many different parts and systems that work together. A cell is made up of many parts that work together. Parts of our body—like the eye or knee—are made up of several smaller parts that all work together, too. And think about what happens if you get a cut on your arm—it bleeds to clean out any infection, and then the blood clots to help stop the bleeding.
Earth is the only known planet with large bodies of water. Seventy percent of our planet’s surface consists of rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans. Did you know that water can absorb large amounts of heat without a big change in the water’s temperature? Water can absorb around ten times more heat than steel can!
Every day on our planet, the bodies of water on Earth soak up huge amounts of heat quickly, which helps keep our planet relatively cool. At night, these bodies of water release large amounts of heat into the atmosphere, which in turn helps keep most of the surface of our planet from freezing at night. Because of all the water we have on this amazing planet, our temperatures are relatively stable, and Earth thrives with many varieties of life.
Thousands of scientists believe that God created the earth, the universe, and everything in nature. For example, Dr. Stuart C. Burgess,1 said the following:
"To create trillions of stars requires infinite power. To create a human body with trillions of interconnected cells requires infinite understanding. But creation also reveals the goodness of God. God has designed all kinds of foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grass crops (like wheat, corn, and rice) that are both nutritious and very pleasant for humans to eat. He has also created a world with many aspects of beauty, including the kind that has no other purpose than to add beauty to the world, like bird songs or butterfly wing designs. Jesus remarked on how the glorious beauty of flowers was the result of God’s design (Matthew 6:28)."
The Bible tells us that the creation of life and the universe was because of Jesus, who is referred to as the Word of Life. For example:
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made" (John 1:1–3).
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).
Life is an amazing gift, and we thank God for creating everything, including us. He made the first two people—Adam and Eve—and every person who ever lived or is alive today is a descendant of Adam and Eve.
"So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:27).
He made us to learn, explore, and seek out truth. This is why we can appreciate all the wonders and gifts He has given.
"And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 26:4).
To be made in the image of God means that we are made to be part of God’s family as His sons and daughters. What a blessing it is for those of us who are saved to be called the children of God!
Our loving God gave us an amazing universe with a wonderful planet to live on. He made us to learn, explore, and seek out truth. This is why we can appreciate all the wonders and gifts He has given—nature, the universe, life, language, music, and even the concepts of math and science.
But God’s greatest gift is His love, which he gives to us through His Son, Jesus. And He wants us to love Him and other people by sharing the love of Jesus with others.
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