Posted by
Doc Stephens on Saturday, May 10, 2008 7:13:48 AM
God gave us the ability to observe and comprehend the world and the universe around us. Science is a human endeavor that begins with observation and leads us to greater knowledge of the world and the universe that we experience. Each observation, each discovery, offers another window, another opportunity for ever greater understanding which allows us to manage our lives more effectively, if we choose.
Sometimes, we misunderstand what we see. Sometimes, the scientific inquiry opens a window into a totally new realm about which we have no frame of reference, no inkling of it's meaning or its relevance to our lives and our challenges. All we have is what we think we have observed. We can be fooled--this is human nature and we should not let this inhibit our search for greater understanding.
God also gave us the ability to correct our mistakes, to recover from our foolishness, and to change our minds about the things we "see" with our many senses. God also gave us the ability to change our minds about the things we think, even when what we "see" hasn't changed. Furthermore, we have a gift of reflection, an ability to wonder about things we cannot "see" or experience. We are rendered in God's image and we can accept on faith, those ideas which are beyond our grasp.
It is not easy to sort through the ambiguities that our various abilities and senses present--to know what is real, or truth, or fact, or not. Those who can, have wisdom.