Like a Tapestry
By: Anya P. Sanchez, 2N (published in the Red Lily, June-October 2000 issue)
As I studied for our biology exam,
I couldn’t help but not understand some.
Organisms are just too complicated,
For even within the most basic structural unit
Are more organelles and compounds we must not omit.
Just look within the cell and try to see,
“Little organs” functioning in complexity.
Ribosomes, vacuoles and mitochondria
Are enough to drive you to hysteria.
Alternating sugar and phosphate make up the strand
Of DNA which seems simple, but hard to understand.
Adenosine and three phosphate molecules make up the ATP,
The energy fuel of organisms but a cause of weakness to me.
Glycolysis may seem easy at first sight
But when you fail to analyze,
You won’t produce pyruvic acids try as you might.
All of Krebs Cycle are swirling around my head,
Add to that the Electronic Transport Chain and I’ll drop dead.
But if we try to see this in a different light,
There is a divine revelation that causes delight.
The order and complexity, the exquisite design,
Reflects our Creator’s existence, a marvelous sign!
Simply observe how life came to be,
When from the dark womb of a mother emerged a baby.
Truly this bundle of joy created wonderfully and fearfully,
Manifests the unfathomable power of God Almighty.
Without bias, study the science of life and you’ll see
That our bodies and the universe are like woven tapestry.
Our bodies have patterns designed intricately.
Certainly such order and beauty,
Could not have been caused by an accident like the Big Bang Theory!
So if we were created by God and not by mere chance,
There is meaning to life that even atheists can’t give defiance.
And indeed we are not alone and long forgotten,
For we have God who is faithful to the very end.
He is not only the Author of the Science of Life,
He is also our Savior, the Giver of Eternal Life.
Many years later, I’ve come to realize that God MIGHT actually have used the Big Bang and macro-evolution to create all things. Haha! However, the truth that there is no divide between the sacred and the secular has fueled my love for learning all these years.
There was a time when I lost a Biblical worldview of work. I became pietistic in the sense that I tried to excel in school to be “a good testimony” to the people around me so that I could get them to pray a prayer that will supposedly bring them to Heaven (a false Gospel). At that time, I no longer saw my academic studies as northern stars that pointed to God’s attributes as well as to His grand plan. Consequently, I began to strive in school because I wanted to leave the university as soon as possible. I wanted to graduate on time to prove that I was as smart as my blockmates. I wanted to become a licensed occupational therapist (OT) right away because I was preoccupied with the prospect of working abroad to earn money. It was a far cry from the 14-year-old girl who wanted to become a missionary doctor because she thought that everything --- sacred or secular --- are related to Christ.
I came back to my senses after failing a major subject in college. I could only take up a few units the following semester, so I was able to change my study habits and learn at my own pace. Since I could no longer keep up with my blockmates, I got to enjoy studying the sciences again. I marveled once more at how magnificent God is as revealed in the human body. The more I saw God in science, the more I loved it. After college, I was blessed to have sat under the teaching of godly men who did not merely preach excellence that seeks to manipulate others into “following Christ”. Neither did they equate church activity with godliness or consider it superior to secular work. Rather, they taught me that every discipline, every noble profession allows us to develop and manifest the image of God. Being an OT gives me the opportunity to be patient, understanding, scientific, and creative --- which is how God is. If you’re a good carpenter, not only are you creative, but you’re also precise and hardworking just like how Jesus the Carpenter was. Being a full-time housewife calls upon you to use all of your talents to nurture your family, just like what God does for us. Isn’t the great privilege of working with the Lord and becoming more like Him so inspiring that you would want to give your very best to Him?
One of the greatest legacies of the Protestant Reformation is that it encouraged common folks to study nature so that we may become better stewards of it through the work that we do, whether inside or outside of the church. In the process, we become better stewards of ourselves too. The Lord uses our vocations to direct our focus to achieving noble goals instead of being blown away by every wind of temptation. So the next time you struggle with those biochem problem sets or when you dread going to school or to work, remember that God will use those difficulties for you to know Him more and become more like Him. The joys that will come out of that journey will be far greater than any pain that you’ll have to go through.
Happy Protestant Reformation Day!
(Photo from Canva)
Awww