An Easter Ponder

READING RESURRECTION IN THE BOOK OF NATURE

The following is an extract from an article by Joe Deegan, published on 4th April 2023 for The Gospel Coalition.

"If you're like me and you sometimes find it difficult to believe in the resurrection of Jesus, might I suggest turning to the book of God's creation? If you have a tendency to question the things you can't see, at least give serious consideration to the things you can.

Sleeping and Waking

If we believe God designed our bodies with utmost intentionality, then why did he design us to sleep ... for a third of our lives? Could it be that in the daily cycle of sleeping and waking, God is reminding his children again and again that resurrection is ... something woven through the fabric of his creation?

Nature's Signs

We might ask other questions: Why did God give us seasons? Why did he design the earth with its tilted rotation, orbit, and proximity to the sun in such a precise way to give us this death-to-life cycle? Why do trees and plants wither and die in the fall and lie dormant (in many cases buried in the "grave" of dirt) in the winter, only to burst forth out of the ground, and out of barren branches, with new life in the spring? God didn't have to design it this way. But he did.

Why does the caterpillar bury itself in a cocoon and come out as a butterfly? Why does the acorn go into the ground and come out as an oak tree? Why does the bear go into a cave to hibernate and then resurface at winter's end? Why does the sun disappear below the horizon each night and reappear the following day, spreading warmth and light into the darkness? Why do so many 'deaths' in nature (forest fires, floods, decaying plants and animals) actually create ideal conditions for the generation of new life? Why is it that when a baby is born into this world, it must emerge from the depths of the womb?

All these questions from God's creation are pointing to one answer resurrection. And that answer is no accident.

Creation's Story

Psalm 53:1 opens with a strong statement: 'The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."' Although I've been a Bible-believing Christian nearly my entire life, I admit I still struggle with doubt. I'm constantly asking myself basic, fundamental questions: Is God real? Can I trust the Bible? Did Jesus actually come back to life?

In those moments of doubt, I often return to the story of creation, which helps me better understand the words of the psalmist here. It'd be foolish of me to witness these signs and wonders and still say in my heart, This is all just a coincidence. There's no meaning or purpose to anything I see in nature. There's no God behind this incredible design. Paul says as much when he writes of pagans in Romans 1:19-20:

"For what can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse."

God's creation is such a powerful general revelation that we're "without excuse," Paul argues. That's a pretty strong endorsement of nature's potential to corroborate the truth of God's Word. If creation is indeed telling a story, it's safe to say that story has an Author. Christians would say it's the very same Author as the Scriptures, which is why what we see in God's creation supplements what we see in God's Word.

And it's in God's Word that we learn how the Author became flesh and dwelt among us. He entered into the story he was already telling, the one that gave us image after image, glimpse after glimpse, picture after picture of the death, burial, and resurrection he himself would eventually endure. The death and resurrection of Christ isn't a tall tale; it's the foundation of our existence, the basis of our hope.

C. S. Lewis said, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." We can believe in the resurrection because the Creator has rendered it in vibrant colour at every corner of the universe. The more we learn to pay attention to it, the more we'll see everything else in its light."

(Jo Deegan is an author, musician and has worked in youth and music ministry for over 15 years. He lives in Texas, USA.)