ORDER OUT OF CHAOS

In the beginning, there was…nothing. Nada. Nil. Zero. Zip. Zilch.

There was no system, no order, no control. Because there was nothing to systematize, order, or even chaos to control. There were no values, morals or laws, because there was nothing to value, moralize, regulate or legislate.

Then suddenly, nothing purposed to do something. (Of course, since there was nothing, there was no purpose – but nothing purposed, just the same.)

Nothing caused a “Big Bang.” There were no journalists, photographers, stenographers, commentators, or casual observers back then, so modern-day historians can’t examine an historical record, but “people of faith” – evolutionists, Darwinists, atheists – know without a doubt there was a big bang. Really big.

Suddenly out of nothing came…something. Even though no one was there to witness it, the result – at least initially – was chaos. When something emerges out of absolutely nothing, it’s pretty chaotic.

Life as we know it began very simply, scientists surmise. It started with a single, lonely, one-celled structure, a “coacervate.” Nobody really knows why it’s named that, instead than “Herman” or “Ethel,” but there you are – or were. One coacervate. By itself.

One day – before there were days – it decided (before there were brains and minds) it’s not good for a coacervate to be alone. A one-celled organism gets lonely. So it multiplied, dividing into a second cell. (One-celled organisms are good at math.) Then there were two.

Once that happened, the die was cast. Two’s company, but it wanted a crowd. The more the merrier. Lots more cells. Then cells began forming simple creatures, then more complex creatures. Until after a very, very long time, this process resulted in human beings. Bringing us up to the present.

It’s important to know this. Because to dismiss the theory of the Big Bang shifts thinking into a totally different sphere. Because in the real world, we know effects must have causes. And if there wasn’t a big bang, there must have been some other “first cause.” Some people call it God. And that opens up a whole new can of worms – and they’re much more complex than coacervates.

Because then you have to consider statements like, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Or, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles” (Romans 1:21-22). And who wants to think about that?

No, believing in the Big Bang theory is much easier. And certainly less complicated.

In the beloved musical, “The Sound of Music,” one song contains the phrase, “Nothing comes from nothing; nothing ever could,” but the nothing that caused the big bang didn’t know that. Big bangs don’t really spend a lot of time thinking about such things – or singing.

Think and Pray

The Bible makes it clear that the same God who spoke the universe into existence also knows you completely and cares about every area of your life. His plan for you is unique to you and fits perfectly in the work He’s doing in the people and community around you.

Lord, it’s clear from the intricacy of even the human body that You are a God of order. You care about the smallest details, and so should I. Help me to finish out this week giving careful thought to the work and words that fill my days. Establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands. Amen.

Robert J. Tamasy has written Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Tufting Legacies; and coauthored with David A. Stoddard, The Heart of Mentoring. His biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.