The Cosmic Room

Imagine falling asleep at home, only to awaken in a strange, mystical place. Of course, curiosity compels you to explore your new surroundings, a large room containing thousands of dials. These dials are like the ones found on radios that have control knobs to change stations and to adjust the volume. And like radio dials, they’re labeled. But here, the similarities end. Pausing to look closer, you see a label that reads Sun’s Temperature. The next dial is tagged Earth’s Temperature. Another one reads Gravity. Yet another is labeled Atmospheric Conditions. Moving along, you find a control knob titled Light Speed. Notable others include Stars, Planets, and Black Holes. And next to those are ones labeled Time, Energy, and Space. There’s even a dial named Big Bangs. Before long, you realize there are controls designed to regulate each solar system and every galaxy in the cosmos.

Then, questions arise. Who engineered this celestial control room? How was it built? And who is operating it? The scientific community agrees that our universe is indeed “finely tuned.” Yet, many scientists deny the existence of God. And this point of view inevitably sparks other questions. Could an ever-expanding and interconnected universe be born without a Creator? Is it likely that our world – more precise than a Swiss watch and more harmonious than a grand piano – is random and rudderless? Has all of this happened with neither a Maker of dials nor a heavenly Calibrator? Has life not flourished under a Shepherd’s watchful eye?

Countless galactic mysteries remain unsolved. Still, there have been illuminating discoveries as well. For example, we’ve learned that our highly structured universe functions within a flexible fabric of time and space. And current evidence suggests that the same universal laws govern both the unthinkably small and the unimaginably large. In addition, we know that separate gravitational, nuclear, and electromagnetic forces are synergistically interwoven among energy, matter, and antimatter. Leading physicists believe that the slightest variance in today’s elegant, cosmic dance could spell instant doom. It’s thought that the tiniest change within the intricate balance of our universe might extinguish all life as we know it.

History has shown that people commonly draw different conclusions from identical evidence. So perhaps an open mind is our surest portal to truth and reality. Yes, faith is part of believing and trusting in God. But honest scientists will admit that they, too, rely on faith. As it happens, scientific conclusions are not entirely based on the results of laboratory tests. Many theories gain wide acceptance when, in fact, they cannot be tested at all.

And so it is that each person arrives at one of three theological destinations: There is a God; there is not a God; or there’s uncertainty as to God’s existence. People who believe in a Higher Power will often choose to nurture a personal relationship with their God. And those who feel connected with a Supreme Presence typically view themselves as spiritual beings traveling a spiritual path. Ultimately, people who see life as a spiritual journey perceive the world differently from those holding secular views. And from this observation, a final question arises. Do spiritual perspectives reflect universal truth more accurately than secular ones?
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Within our universe, the infinitesimal is unified with the infinite; and the physical is joined with the metaphysical.
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Carl Jung said, “Believing requires faith, while knowing does not. I know God exists.”
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Spiritual growth is aided by an open mind and a yearning heart.