When Awe Points Upward

 

 

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"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."      ~ Psalm 19:1

There’s this short video floating around of Dr. James Tour—world-renowned chemist, deeply thoughtful Christian—speaking with a student after one of his talks. And the exchange struck me.  

The student respectfully asks:

“My question is, let's say science does discover the origin of life, where would that leave you and your initial proposition for this talk?”

Without skipping a beat, Dr. Tour lights up with a smile on his face:  

“I would be so happy. I would be so happy because prior to the mid-1950s, people did not really understand a molecular basis for the fact that if you have two parents that are tall, their child is tall. They didn't have a molecular basis for that.

And then the structure of DNA was figured out just in like 1952, 1953, right around in there. Certainly within the lifetime of many people that are alive today.

So that doesn't make God less in my eyes because we understand how he preserves this information.

That actually makes him more marvelous in my eyes. It's like, oh, that’s how you did it. I mean, this is amazing.

And there's this whole molecular basis for this. And that’s why I’m a chemist. I mean, you just—God’s a chemist. I mean, it's all stored in the molecules like this.

So the more we learn about creation, the more amazing God becomes.”

I meditated on that for awhile.  I've heard preached many times the horizontal and vertical with God and his creation.  

And I thought, here’s a world-class scientist, fully invested in his scientific study of God, saying with a childlike spark: “God, You are more amazing than I thought.”

It reminds me of what Dr. Paul David Tripp so often teaches—that we are wired for awe of God.

“I came to see that I was wired for awe...of God. No other awe satisfies the soul. No other awe can give my heart the peace, rest, and security that it seeks.”

Tripp points out that creation is intentionally filled with awe-inspiring wonders—not just to wow us, but to point us back to the One who made them. He writes:

“God created an awesome world. God intentionally loaded the world with amazing things to leave you astounded... God designed all to be awesome. And he intended you to be daily amazed.”

And yet, he’s quick to warn: don’t stop at the beauty. Don’t let awe become horizontal only.

“If awesome things in creation become your god, the God who created those things will not own your awe. Horizontal awe is meant to do one thing: point you vertically to God.”

When awe stays stuck in the created thing—whether it’s a mountain range, a human cell, or a brilliant scientific theory—it’s like reading a love letter and ignoring the one who wrote it. It doesn’t satisfy. It can’t.

“For awe left alone only leads to us marveling in nature, while awe focused on the God who created these amazing sights leads to worship, peace, joy, and a deep sense of inner contentment.”

And that’s what Dr. Tour’s response gets so beautifully right. He doesn’t fear discovery. He welcomes it. Because the more we learn about the intricacies of life, the more they lead him to worship. The awe doesn’t stop at the molecule—it points upward.

“So the more we learn about creation, the more amazing God becomes.”

Dr. Tripp summarizes the impact of such wonder this way:

“Only when awe of God rules your heart will you be able to keep the pleasures of the material world in their proper place.”

So what’s the takeaway?

Let’s not be people who are afraid of science or beauty or deep questions. Let’s be the kind of people who follow awe all the way home—past the stars, past the cell walls, past the ocean depths—until it leads us to the feet of our Creator.

Because:

• We are created with a longing for awe, meant to be fulfilled by God.

• Creation’s wonders are signposts pointing us to the Creator.

• Letting awe stop at creation leads to emptiness; letting it lead us to God brings worship and joy.

• Awe of God should shape our daily lives and decisions.

Whether you’re a scientist in a lab coat, a parent at the kitchen sink, or a kid watching ants on the sidewalk, awe is knocking. Just make sure you let it point you up.

And like Dr. Tour, may you one day say with a smile,
“Oh... that’s how You did it.”