Science versus Signs, Blunders versus Wonders

Science Versus Signs, Blunders versus Wonders “ And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles” Acts 2 v 43 The recent events in the USA (the blasts in Boston and in Texas) have brought fear upon every soul. Neither the people in government, or in the police are able to tell at this point in time what or who are behind these tragic happenings. There is a complete lull since the blast in the fertilizer plant in West, Texas- people are yet to make sense of what has happened. In North Korea, a young dictator is holding out a threat of launching a nuclear war and going through the motions. In Bangalore, my hometown there was a blast in a busy area. More than the violence, it is the irrationality that makes people everywhere insecure. Whole nations are beginning to feel the full weight of the justice of God as we abandon Him and put our full trust in science, technology, human wisdom and systems. Today, mankind has a choice of science and blunders or signs and wonders. People in all nations have been trying to interpret the world in terms of what science has taught us. People have lost and are losing the fear of God. The fear of God keeps a person secure. It makes him or her realize that regardless of what is happening around God is in control. Science is but the product of man’s ability to think and our thinking has its limitations. But, there are no such limitations to the power of God. Science and technology places powerful means of destruction like guns and bombs in the hands of wicked and evil forces. In this sense, it leads up to blunders as we have seen so often in history and in the recent past. It does not mean that we abandon reason and rationality but we believe our natural abilities only up to a point. Beyond that and even in the exercise of our natural abilities, we must invite the Lord at all times to reveal both His will and His power and grace. Signs and wonders are evidence of God showing up in troubled times to comfort and encourage His people when the world around that believes in science, reason and experience are bewildered. But hope is not lost. In the early church when believers were hunted down, tortured and torn limb from limb by beasts, signs and wonders were done by the apostles. When people are discouraged, we can ask for a sign from the Lord. Gideon asked for a physical sign and the Lord revealed it more than once. When I asked for a sign at a time of discouragement, the Lord revealed His presence and His power through a miraculous inverted rainbow that I had photographed with a cell phone camera. When events happen that are beyond human ability to predict, understand or prevent, it is itself a sign to return to the stronghold of Zion as prisoners of hope. We are prisoners freed from captive systems of “science and blunders” in order to trust in signs and wonders done by the hand of the Lord. Prateep V Philip