Science and miracles are a common topic of interest when people ask me about God. Usually, the conversation expects a debate of sorts between Science and God. If Science, for example, can prove or disprove something miraculous, then it is no longer a miracle. Likewise, if science cannot speak to a particular miracle, then God must be at work. And the conversation goes back and forth. The question that I often ask is: can God be behind both the explainable and the unexplainable?
I came across an interesting YouTube video recently and it laid out a number of explanations of biblical miracles. The point of the video isn’t to say they didn’t happen; rather, that we can now provide an explanation as to why they happened.
Here’s the video:
Here are some thoughts to consider as you ponder…
1. Miracles are simply unusual and unexpected occurrences.
I don’t think it’s wise to define a miracle as something that is merely ‘unexplainable.’ Miracles happen all the time. They may leave us speechless and completely awestruck, but it doesn’t mean we are always left not knowing what happened.
Someone in need of a specific amount of money, for example, could be presented with a cheque from someone who didn’t know about the need beforehand. (Don’t think it doesn’t happen; it happened to me!) It was a miracle, but at the end of the day, we knew exactly what happened – someone gave us money.
As another example: the conception, pregnancy, and birth of a baby are all simply amazing to think about and often referred to as a ‘miracle,’ but we now know the scientific process of what happens along the way.
Likewise, we know of a special cross-shaped molecule called LAMININ (as seen in the blog photo) that literally holds us together. Some call it the ‘glue’ of our bodies. Just because we have learned about this molecule doesn’t make it any less of a miracle. Not to mention the connection between the shape of this molecule and its role in our lives. Coincidence or not, the complexities of our bodies are simply amazing.
Question: If we find an explanation, does that mean that God didn’t supernaturally organize the whole process?
We can often explain what happened, but we can’t respond to the timeline. The most science can say is that it was a coincidence. It just happens.
2. God’s timing supernaturally proves God’s faithfulness.
Many explanations of biblical miracles assume a ‘long process’ was at work. In other words, there was a chain of events that allowed for the ‘miraculous’ to occur.
The miracles of Moses in Egypt are an example of this. The scientific explanation of each of the plagues builds on the next and they seem to flow in natural order, according to science and nature. Likewise, the parting of the Red Sea could have been a result of a large storm leading up to the crossing on dry land.
Some may say this proves that God isn’t providing miracles; rather, the people were in the right place at the right time. It would be highly unusual, but possible, as nature continues to move.
I’m not sure if we can assume those findings. A long process, only proves to me that God was at work long before the miracle was needed. He knew the next step and was simply waiting for the right person to step up and lead.
Science doesn’t disprove God’s activity – it increases our understanding of how God is the author of all science. His miracles use science to do the unimaginable when the people need it the most.
Question: Just because we can see God using science to carry out amazing events, does that mean He cannot do something without the help of science?
3. While we can explain some things, there are so many experiences that are simply unexplainable.
The biggest example would be healings. I can’t say that I’ve witnessed someone come back to life, but I’ve heard of stories of people having a near-death experience and numerous people who have experienced miraculous healing.
There is no science that can explain cancer that disappears, a leg instantly growing longer to match the other, and people surviving diseases without medical intervention. These are supernatural experiences that science can’t help us with.
Likewise, no science can explain why everyone is not healed. There is a clear element of the unknown and science can’t help us with answering ‘why?’I believe God is both the author and creator of all natural and explainable miracles, as well as the supernatural and unexplainable miracles Click To Tweet
It leaves me to believe that God is the only one we can trust. We know he can use science; he can do something supernatural; and no matter what, we can trust him every step of the way.
At the end of the day, I believe God is both the author and creator of all natural and explainable miracles, as well as the supernatural and unexplainable miracles.
How do you navigate the God and science conversation?
