Views of creation

ONE of my favorite views is from atop the arch of the Harbor Bridge in Sydney, Australia. Since the BridgeClimb officially opened in 1998, more than three million people have ascended to the apex of the iconic structure to view the stunning city.

I still remember gazing at the Sydney Harbor with a friend who described the sun’s brilliant reflection on the water as “glittering diamonds.” Indeed, the waterfront did sparkle, giving us a beautiful display of God’s beauty in creation.

Through His handiwork, God is made obvious to us, and we learn truth about Him (Romans 1:19). As the late English theologian Charles Ellicott wrote, through creation, evidence of God was revealed “or imprinted upon [our] consciences.”

Similarly, Paul wrote in Romans 1:20 that “ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature.”

Creation reveals God’s power, His goodness, His wisdom, and His existence so profoundly that those who witness His design “have no excuse for not knowing God” (Romans 1:20).

Sadly, although we’re able to recognize evidence of God’s reality through all He’s made, many choose to worship what He’s made instead of Him. When we worship the created instead of the Creator and fail to thank Him for all He’s made, Romans 1:21 says our minds become “dark and confused.” And when we serve things rather than “the glorious, ever-living God” (Romans 1:23), we end up trying to satisfy our desires in destructive ways (Romans 1:24).

But our loving God wants so much more for us. He invites us to live wisely by acknowledging and drawing close to Him.