Tiny Fires Within

For Christians, science is not the source of truth - Scripture is. However, science is a tool we can use to discover what animates the world we live in. Science points us to a Creator by revealing His characteristics through His Creation.

Romans 1:19 - 20 ESV says, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

This means that when we, humankind, look upon the created world, we can glean knowledge of the divine Creator. This is a general revelation, as seen in looking at and reading the Book of Nature, which, when studied, can reveal much about the Eternal Godhead.

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork,” Psalm 19:1 ESV. Indeed, there are many things in the natural world that point to a Designer.

A favorite example is the relatedness of cellular respiration and photosynthesis and the beautiful system they create. The reason we breathe is that we need oxygen on a cellular level to power our metabolisms. Therefore, we inhale oxygen from our atmosphere and pull it down into our beautifully designed lungs as our hearts pump deoxygenated blood into the area to pick up oxygen and deliver it to every single cell in our bodies…we have trillions of cells!

This is what’s happening on the cellular level: Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + ATP

We get oxygen from breathing and glucose from our food, and they chemically react inside each of our cells to form carbon dioxide, water, and a molecule called ATP. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the cellular currency that powers our metabolisms and sustains life. The carbon dioxide and water vapor are returned to the lungs and exhaled. Without the steady supply of oxygen that our respiration provides, life will cease within 3 to 10 minutes, depending on the person and other factors. From a chemistry perspective, this reaction is a combustion reaction! Therefore, each of our cells has TINY FIRES in them, running our metabolism constantly and without a thought from us.

So, where does our oxygen come from? Most will say plants, which is true, but even more oxygen comes from tiny photosynthetic organisms that live in the oceans. The reaction for photosynthesis is: sunlight + carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen

Let’s put these reactions side by side:

Cellular Respiration: Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + ATP(energy)

Photosynthesis: Sunlight (energy) + carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen

What do you notice?

Here are a couple of things to consider. The glucose and oxygen produced in photosynthesis are exactly what we need for cellular respiration. Also, the carbon dioxide and water we produce during cellular respiration is what plants need (plus sunlight) for photosynthesis! Finally, both of these reactions convert energy from the sun into energy that every living thing needs to run its metabolism (ATP). Such a complex yet elegant system clearly points to a Creator God! Our God is an engineer with an eye for function and beauty. He has created us with minds that can use science to uncover His intelligence and creativity. So next time you are focusing on your breath on the mat, take time to marvel at your God, who has made all things good!