Creation Speaks — A Christian’s Starting Point for Science
[Part 1 of 4 on a Christian’s view of science. Before we begin assessing evidence and drawing lines, a child of God must listen to the created universe in wonder and awe. A humble stance of praise is not odds with passion about science, but, in many ways, a prerequisite.]“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.” — Psalm 19:1–2
Step outside on a cloud‑free night. Tilt your head back until the whole dome of heaven fills your vision. Even if you live in the glow of a city, a handful of stars still manages to punch through the haze. Those distant pinpricks are light‑years apart, yet here they are, arriving on the back porch of your ordinary Tuesday, saying in their own silent language: “Look up. Someone made all this.” That moment of raw wonder is where every honest scientific question is born. Awe asks, “What am I seeing?” Science replies with wavelengths and orbits and spectral lines. Faith kneels and adds, “Who could imagine such glory?” Neither question threatens the other. In fact, together they harmonize like melody and bass: distinct parts, one song.
This first article in this series is an invitation to hear that harmony. Before we tackle objections or untangle arguments (coming up in articles 2-4), we need to remember why the conversation matters in the first place: the universe is singing a love song to its Creator, and we have the privilege of joining the chorus.
The Harmony of Science and Faith
Psalm 19 claims that the universe sings in harmonious praise of God’s glory, even if the song is often unnoticed:
They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them, yet their voice goes out into all the earth. — Psalm 19:3-4
Creation is a wordless preacher. Galaxies give devotions. Flowers burst in praise. Subatomic particles perform choreographed dances to God’s glory. Every data set a scientist gathers is, in the end, a transcript of a cosmic sermon. When Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravity, he wasn’t uncovering a reason for God, he was uncovering one more reason to worship God. That is precisely the stance Psalm 19 invites. Nature is not a rival revelation that might contradict Scripture; it is the second book in the same library—God’s works standing beside God’s Word.
So why do Christians sometimes feel skittish around scientific headlines? Perhaps we have forgotten to hear the music before we read the lyrics. If we begin with worship, curiosity follows naturally. Without worship, curiosity turns into either cold calculation or fearful defensiveness. Godly wonder is the right light for the laboratory.
If you walk up the stone steps of the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge and look up at the entrance: “The works of the Lord are great, sought out by all them that have pleasure therein.” (Psalm 111:2, KJV). James Clerk Maxwell—the father of modern electromagnetic theory—had those words carved into oak when he founded the lab in 1874. In 1973, when the building relocated, the verse moved with it, this time etched in English so no one would miss the point. Maxwell’s faith did not flicker at the sight of equations; it blazed brighter. He once wrote, “I think men of science as well as other men need to learn from Christ, and I think Christians whose minds are scientific are bound to study science that their view of the glory of God may be as extensive as their being is capable.”
Maxwell is not an outlier. Johannes Kepler framed his three laws of planetary motion as “thinking God’s thoughts after him.” Faraday lectured on the unity of God’s creation. Modern Nobel laureate Francis Collins has called the unraveling of the human genome “the language of God.” Evidently, the closer you press your eye to a microscope, the more clearly you see the signature of its Author.
Worship First, Ask Questions Later
That heritage makes a critical point for twenty‑first‑century believers: before we sharpen our arguments, we should warm our hearts. Before we engage objections, we must rediscover our wonder in God’s Creation and run our fingers through his gracious promises in Christ. Three ideas:
Practice doxological reading. When you open a science article—say, on the James Webb Space Telescope—pause at the first image. Pray a single‑sentence doxology: “Lord, that nebula is breathtaking. Thank You.” Now you are ready to learn. Your mind gathers facts; your soul offers them back in praise. Make it instinctive.
Fight cynicism with childlike questions. Children ask “Why?” because they assume the world makes sense. Recover your childlike curiosity. Research a part of God’s creation and ask questions not to corner God but to chase him through his workshop.
Wonder in the face of false assumptions. Before you directly defend your beliefs (that comes later in the series), don’t forget to respond with your awe of God: “I’d like to talk more about evolution and creation, but isn’t the existence and variety of life on our planet just incredible?!” Wonder walks beside someone else, rather than confronts or threatens. You are not yielding truth; you are taking the conversational off‑ramp to slow down and discuss truth safely.
The Two Books of Psalm 19
Psalm 19 doesn’t just tell us about the silent chorus of the universe, it moves into praise of another voice: The Word of God.
The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. — Psalm 19:7-9
Science is the systematic study of the universe’s testimony (Psalm 19:1-6). Theology is the faithful reading of God’s revealed testimony of the Word (Psalm 19:7-9). Conflict arises only when one book is read without reference to the other. But when both books are open, discoveries in the lab become footnotes to praise and prayer: The fine‑tuning of physical constants whispers intentionality. The information architecture of DNA murmurs design. The mathematical elegance of quantum theory hums with artistry. None of these observations create faith, but they do turn heads toward the Creator who became our Redeemer. As the Psalmist completes his reflection on the speech of Creation and word of the LORD, he is led to pray about his own mouth. He moves from wonder to prayer—from the Creator to his Redeemer.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. — Psalm 19:14
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, Forgive us when we reduce your world to trivia or treat your Word as fragile. Rekindle in us the childlike love and wonder that greets your amazing world. May every question we ask draw us nearer to your wisdom, and every answer we find return to you in praise. Through Jesus Christ, the Logos through whom all things hold together, Amen.
Reflection & Response
What feature of creation most reliably drops your jaw? The Milky Way? A newborn’s fingerprint? Start a list and thank God for them.
When have you felt tension between faith and scientific claims? Identify the feeling before you analyze the facts. Often the conflict is more emotional than evidential.
How might regular habits of wonder reshape your witness? Consider jotting a brief scientific story or interesting fact that you could share the next time someone says something like, “Science has made God irrelevant.” Let them wonder at God’s work with you.