The above picture was taken outside of Gleneagles Hospital after our outing at Botanic Gardens and I was in awe of God’s majesty through a series of lightning shows that lit up the otherwise dark and gloomy night sky. We had a sharing on Christianity and Science by Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) on the same afternoon and it challenged us to articulate our faith and our stand when faced with questions from non-Christians regarding the two issues.
The freshmen year in as an Environmental Studies student was a challenging one due to many “conflicts” I faced between my faith and discipline. The study of Darwinian evolutionary theory and the concept of man sharing common ancestry roots as other mammalian animals were some of the problems that I faced. I believe in the Bible and that man is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), that such species did not occur by chance but by intelligent design. Also, questions have been raised by my friends about how I reconcile my faith with science and I was unable to give a convincing and clear stance.
Hence, the session by RZIM enlightened us in how we can challenge the basis of science, clarifying the difference between degree and kind and understanding the fact that science can never be on par with God as the scientific community continues to discover and observe God’s creation. I was also affirmed by the statement that “a Christian believes in an active engagement with God and His Sovereignty over aspect of life, for He is the Creator and Sustainer of all living things.” This statement is of great significance to me because it reminds me of God’s Sovereignty and His constant presence in the scientific community and general public, strengthening my trust that God will reveal Himself through the development of science. The session gave strong arguments against those in the scientific community who attempt to discredit creationism and the presence of God. These arguments are extremely useful as I am now able to understand my faith better and also pursue my discipline with more passion, knowing that God is above all and science does not threaten the presence of the Creator but only confirms it.
Lastly, one of the speaker’s statement that struck me was “If you love God with all your mind, you will be the best scientist.” This means a lot to me as I hope to use my discipline to glorify God and encourage creation care. Till then, may we all learn to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind (Matthew 22:37).
Lim Min
That is a very nice picture, Min! :)
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