The universe is a frighteningly vast, mysterious place that continues to defy understanding.

So, what is your personal place in this complex array of possibilities? How could you even know?

A good place to start is finding out Who runs the place.

Since the dawn of creation, mankind has been making up gods as it goes along — from the earliest idols made of stone, silver, gold and wood, to ancient human “gurus” and so-called prophets.

Today, our gods are more sophisticated and include secular “elites,” humanistic academics, nontheistic scientists, and thought leaders of every stripe.

A growing number of modernists simply default to the materialism-reductionist’s notion that we are alone in the universe and that the whole thing is just one big physics experiment gone wrong.

The truth is that we are not alone. We live in a universe that is infused with the presence of its Creator and Sustainer.

Scripture declares, “In him, we live and move andexist.” Everything that has ever been created or ever will be created exists for a singular purpose: to reflect the glory of God.

Truth be told, the universe isn’t about us, it’s about Him.

Two Gods?

Trouble is, most humans have a problem with a God who requires accountability and so, they make up gods in their own image and likeness.

In his book, Renovation of the Heart, the late Christian philosopher Dallas Willard quoted Leo Tolstoy:

“There are two Gods,” Tolstoy once said. “There is the God that people generally believe in — A God who has to serve them (sometimes in very refined ways, say by merely giving them peace of mind). This God does not exist. But the God whom people forget — the God whom we are created to serve — exists, and He is the prime cause for our existence and of all that we perceive.”

All creation is infused with God’s glory and is aglow with His presence. Like a mirror, the physical universe is intended to reflect Him.

Think of our moon. It is nothing more than a dead, dark rock. But as it reflects the rays of the sun, it projects its brilliant light onto an otherwise benighted earth.

And as we, His creatures, take our proper place in His universe, we discover the reason for our own existence and therefore the fulfilment of our deepest longings: to take part in a cause greater than ourselves, an everlasting adventure.

From the beginning, God has been seeking, not slaves or servants, but sons and daughters who He can love and partner with.

So, where did things go wrong?

Why doesn’t everyone just accept the truth of God and agree to go along with His plan for their lives?

For this, we must digress, to Genesis 2:6-7:

God formed Man out of dirt from the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life. The Man came alive — a living soul!

God sets about to intentionally and methodically bring about His greatest triumph — man, in God’s own image and likeness.

Man was created in finished form, not evolved from lower life forms “endlessly becoming” over billions of years.

The result was a species of beloved creatures capable of sharing His feelings, His hopes, and, yes, His pains and disappointments; someone with whom He could spend eternity in intimate fellowship.

Dust Meets Diety

Scripture goes on to reveal that mankind is a uniquely spiritual being, literally “stamped” or infused with God’s very own image — indicating intimate relationship; and God’s likeness — indicating similarity of character.

That brings us to “the rub.”

God imparted an independent spirit into this, His most unique creation, making humans capable of freely choosing between good and evil.

This also made man dangerous, indeed lethal, to himself and to others.

And knowing the likelihood of mankind exercising its free will and choosing evil, God was fully prepared with the means to remedy the situation and to save His creatures from themselves.

The remedy is known as salvation, and, yes, mankind would come to need it badly — individually and corporately.

At the center of the universe, we discover a heavily invested creator, a risk-taker, a giver, a long–suffering and patient parent who is desperate for the companionship of His children (us!). A dad who withholds judgment in the face of continuous rejection and who is stirred to deep emotion when one of His own returns to him.

How About You?

Sadly, most of us are out of position with respect to God, which renders us incapable of reflecting God’s image, even for a moment.

Like physical mirrors, most of us are “pointed” in the direction of our fellow man, giving glory to others and accepting it from them, in exchange.

Are you ready to consider a major paradigm shift? Hint: Lift your eyes upward, oh child of the stars!

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