Closer
OK, BEFORE YOU READ THIS, promise me you’ll hang in there for a minute while I set the stage for this devotional!
“The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time. The total entropy can remain constant in ideal cases where the system is in a steady state (equilibrium), or is undergoing a reversible process. In all spontaneous processes the total entropy increases and the process is irreversible. The increase in entropy accounts for the irreversibility of natural processes, and the asymmetry between future and past. Historically, the second law was an empirical finding that was accepted as an axiom of thermodynamic theory. Statistical mechanics, classical or quantum, explains the microscopic origin of the law.
The second law has been expressed in many ways. Its first formulation is credited to the French scientist Sadi Carnot, who in 1824 showed that there is an upper limit to the efficiency of conversion of heat to work, in a heat engine.”
WHEW…I got this quote off of Wikipedia…and it’s a lot to take in right?! If you were to dig into deeply, (and I recommend you do sometime), you’d find some very interesting tidbits of information about the world in which we live. What you might not be able to take in on the first go round of reading the above paragraph is the way that this scientific and widely accepted “law” actually speaks to the reality of a God who holds all things together. To make it easier to understand, I’ll rewrite this law in a simpler way:
All things eventually move toward entropy or chaos
the longer that they exist in the natural world.
I KNOW, I KNOW… that’s a lot to start a devotion with but hang in there! I have a point. The world, according to scientists, came to be through a spontaneous bang some zillions and zillions of years ago and from that came evolution, but the wrong kind.
Somehow the world as we know it evolved from nonliving matter into living matter. From cellular organisms into animals, into human beings, and into you and me. (That was the short version). I haven’t even gotten to the formation of the actual earth that we sit on, one of billions of clusters of matter that formed into a perfectly organized space ship with exactly the right amount of gravity, exactly the right distance from the sun, exactly the right axis tilt, exactly the right amount of oxygen, exactly the right…ON AND ON AND ON.
Ok, so now that I’ve said all that, don’t miss this question to ponder. Does that sound like the 2nd law of thermodynamics to you? That all things move toward chaos? It doesn’t to me. So what gives? If the world came into being spontaneously, then why does it seem so organized and so fine-tuned?
Wait…what if I told you that the 2nd law of thermodynamics could be right and could be the proof that God exists?
I believe the reality is that you and I are amazing intricately formed creatures with an incredible world that has been created not out of a mere accident, but by the hand of God. God’s hand is weaving all things together in a message to the entire human race – “This should not be here, but IT IS and SO AM I!”
Honestly, my last few days have been hard. Long conversations with dear friends who are struggling have taken a toll on me. I’m not gonna lie to you or sugar coat it. I woke up this morning so thankful for my wife and my family but saddened by the struggles of my friends. You see, as I sat here thinking through the last few days and months, I’ve begun to realize that my relationship with God has actually proven the 2nd law of thermodynamics to be true.
Every time I begin to live life apart from the Lord and according to the natural process, I find entropy and chaos. Every time I fall into pride, arrogance, selfishness, or any other Godless process, I find myself in ruin. It’s so odd to me that it could be so obvious and yet so often missed that apart from God there is no life at all. As I sit with so many people who are confused and broken from the decisions to run from Godliness, I honestly wonder, “what did you think was going to happen? “
Then I think about the amazing examples of forgiveness, kindness, and grace that go against every natural feeling in our body and I remember God is constantly breaking the rules. “In all spontaneous processes, the total entropy increases and the process is irreversible." Not in the Kingdom of God, friends!
God is in the business of breaking the rules. Many of us spend our whole lives with hurt, pain, entropy, and sorrow. Instead of bringing those into the light of the only kingdom that will reverse the natural process. We hide it and we carry a burden that will destroy every part of our lives, and for what? The pride that tells us that we’re strong enough to handle it alone? Come on, that’s ridiculous…but I want to pause and focus your attention on the word of God and what it looks like to be living from the flesh instead of out of the abundance of the Lord’s hands.
Galatians 5:19-21
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Does that sound like the world we live in or what? Better question…does that sound like the people that you call friends? Don’t be surprised if people who display these qualities find their way into chaos and disaster. Why? Because apart from God you get nothing by the 2nd law of thermodynamics.
When I see a God centered man or woman, I see the makings of a thriving marriage.
When I see peace and calm in the middle of a raging sea, I know that God is with me.
In the same way that scientists say that black holes exist, (though they’ve never seen one and they can’t actually prove them to be real), because of the gravitational pull around them, I am confident in the reality of a personal God who exists, because of the beautiful way that God continues to orchestrate my life every day. At the same time, I’m just as confident because of another reason. When I am apart from the Lord, my life falls to chaos. What does your life look like now? What are the qualities that others would use to describe you?
I have good news: GOD CAN BREAK THAT CYCLE!
Take a look at what God does for us when we finally decide to turn to Him:
“The Lord is close to the brokenheartedd and saves those who are crushed in spirit.- Psalm 34:18
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
- Psalm 147:3
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
- Psalm 23:4
in the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul. -Psalm 94:19
For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. - Romans 15:4
When you’re wondering where God is today I hope you’ll know this -
He’s right where you are. He loves you. He has plans for you. He can break the natural cycle of disaster and calamity that surrounds us all. He is good, kind, gracious, and gentle. You cannot out run His love. You cannot out sin His love. Turn to Him today and rest assured He will turn your sorrow to joy. Your marriage is not too far gone. Your career isn’t over. Your health is in His hands. God still does miracles every day. The natural world we live in causes entropy and pain, NOT GOD. He didn’t cause this to happen to You, but if You’ll let Him, He’ll use this.
Where is God today? CLOSER than you even know.
Blessings,
JRoy