If we humans had been given the job of creating the earth and filling it with life… would it have turned out well? [three-minute break for incredulous laughter]
Happily for all concerned, that was God’s work, not ours.
Really–how does an appreciation for natural beauty contribute to Evolution? We see the same blue sky and white clouds that a chameleon sees from his perch on a bush. But are we both truly seeing the same thing?
I doubt it!
This is how I see myself compared to Jesus Christ’ greatness. I am a pebble of stone and He is the Empire State Building. I have gratefully been used as part of the cement in the building.
Creation reflects the love of the Creator. God IS love, and he give generously. During the colder months, my cat is usually either on my lap, or sleeping nearby. It’s a gift, especially for someone that lives alone. Great tasting foods, the beauty of the natural world, a refreshing breeze, even a blanket of snow; all are beautiful gifts. Animals may be foremost among God’s gifts.
Ponder the effects on the earth of the worldwide flood during the days of Noah. The destruction by water wrought upon the original creation is almost beyond imagination. And yet, out of that devastation and ruined landscapes, there emerged beauties and wonders to behold in so many places.
There is no beauty in the ruins of a city destroyed by war, the pile of rubble after the demolition of a building, or the after-effects on a city hit by a powerful earthquake.
And yet, God in His wisdom, in His creation, and His design in the beginning, placed the properties, the information, and data into the very structure and the fabric of the elements, so that order and beauty can come from destruction.
No, man in his wisdom could never think of that.
That is profound, Michael.
Living in the American West, the effects of the Flood are unmistakable. This landscape was never glaciated, and it’s obvious that vast amounts of water flowed over these now parched lands.
Amazingly, there is natural beauty in the aftermath of this flood. I’ve lived in three distinct locations on the North American continent: a northern tier plains state, a Rocky Mountain state, and now the Sonoran desert of SE Arizona. As varied as these places are, each has a unique beauty, and each has much to offer to its residents.
In recent years, I have pursued learning what Bible believing scientists have to say about the Flood, and I found a wealth of information. The mega-sequences which span the continents tell the tale of an earth that was resurfaced, and the theory of catastrophic plate tectonics explains our current continents and the vast mountain ranges. Earth has been the sight of incredible energetic events, but somehow, our Creator had it end up a beautiful place to live.
You are correct, the effects of the Flood are unmistakable in the American West. I was married in 2004. For our honeymoon we took a journey (from Wisconsin) to see the Petrified Forest, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, and other sites in the west.
That trip was a good foundation and basis for chapter 13 of my book “Reindeer Don’ Fly.” A great deal of discussion is spent with “The Ground Beneath Us,” the sedimentary rock and bedrock and the reasons for its formation (the Flood) and the conditions we find today.
Even scientists who are atheists are starting to admit that the earth must have been completely flooded, at one time. We live in a time of discovery, when much is being learned, about the earth, and there have been significant archaeological findings. It’s fascinating to see, and we are learning just how amazing all of this is.
The Flood is one of my favorite subjects. Learning that believing scientists in a number of fields have explored the subject, has been a blessing. Dr. Nathaniel Jeanson has explored DNA from a biblical timeline and has cast new light upon human history. Settled science is looking less and less settled, while researchers like Jeanson are using science to demonstrate that the Bible is more than myth. Praise God.
The Flood is also one of my favorite subjects. I think the first book (about 1975) I read about this subject was the 1961 “The Genesis Flood” by John C. Whitcomb, Jr. and Henry M. Morris. I read the 1951 book “The Flood” by Alfred M. Rehwinkel shortly after, and since then, have read many books by many authors concerning this subject. I spend time each week reading information from many sites, including Answers in Genesis, with Ken Ham’s and other informative posts. While not necessarily agreeing with everything on any site, I try to keep an open mind and learn what I can.