When the world seems like it’s falling apart, it forces each of us to ask ourselves: “What is the point of it all? Why am I here? What’s the purpose of my life?”

There’s a longing to know where we came from, and why we exist. To answer these questions, we must go back to the beginning—way back to the beginning of everything when the universe and the earth itself came into existence.

Now here we are, you and me, living on this beautiful blue planet looking up at the stars wondering… How? Why? What’s behind it all? Who’s responsible for giving us our world? And this gift we call life?

The Intelligent Design of the Universe

“Astronomers and physicists have concluded that the universe definitely had a beginning. However, this is the big problem. Natural law cannot explain the origin of the universe and the origin of life.”

—Dr. Danny Faulkner, Astronomer and Author

This fact alone leads us to a simple, logical conclusion—with a cause outside of the natural world, a cause beyond scientific investigation must have started it all.

“Physics alone, science alone, can’t tell you what that cause is, it simply says there must have been a cause. When you look at a SmartphoneⓇ, for instance, it’s obvious that someone created it. Someone designed it, someone built it. Well look at the world around us, it’s far more complex. So obviously this world had a Creator, and the Creator had to have incomprehensible power, intelligence, and wisdom.”

—Dr. Danny Faulkner, Astronomer and Author

It’s just common sense. This should point us back to the very first words of the Bible. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

“As far as we know, the earth is not only the only suitable place in the universe for life, but it’s the only place where life actually exists. That makes the earth exceedingly unique and exceedingly special. It just screams design to me. It screams that there is a Creator, and this all didn’t happen by accident.

—Dr. Danny Faulkner, Astronomer and Author

If God created the universe, and he created us as his creations, what is he like?

The Identity of the Designer

“That then raises a very good question of whether God has identified himself to us. Is God impersonal, sort of like the Force in Star Wars? Or is he personal? By that I mean, is he a person? Does he have characteristics and qualities that we can understand and relate to? The answer is, YES!”

—Dr. Danny Faulkner, Astronomer and Author

Listen to these words from the Bible. That which is known by God has been clearly communicated to all people. For God has made himself known to us.

“For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what God has made so that every person is without excuse.” —Romans 1:30 NKJV

The evidence of God’s existence and his true identity as the Creator of the universe are everywhere we look. His fingerprints, so to speak, are on everything he created, including you. Down to the smallest detail and every DNA molecule. God has carefully engineered the intricacies of your body and mind to give you the miracle of your life. Your eyes – your hands – your ability to think/feel, create. Most of all, your ability to love. All these gifts have been given to you by the one who made you.

“There’s no question about it, DNA has made us stand back in absolute wonder. It’s a great mystery, and some scientists have even called it “the language of God.” If the DNA in just one of your cells was written down—just the sequence itself—it would take five million pages in order to write it all down and then thirty-seven years just to read it.”

—Dr. Georgia Purdom, Molecular Geneticist, Author

And you know what? That’s just the sequence of the DNA. That doesn’t even tell you how much information is in that DNA—it’s immeasurable. We can’t quantify it. We’re still trying to figure it out. And it just shows you how amazingly complex not only our cells are, but how amazingly complex we are. And the only way that this could have come about is by the intelligence and design of a Creator.

The Bible says it so simply, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made”(Psalm 139:14 KJV). You did not make yourself. You belong to God. This is the truth about who you are. But there is a problem.

Living In a Broken World

What caused all the evil, turmoil, and brokenness we see in our world?

The Bible teaches us that the world God created was good, and that he created people for a good purpose—to live in this world in a peaceful love relationship with him and one another. But then something tragic happened.

The Bible tells the story of how, in the beginning, the first man and woman used their God-given free will to make a destructive choice. They chose to reject God’s purpose for their lives by breaking their love relationship with their Creator to follow their own selfish desires. This self-centered turning away from God is what the Bible calls sin. It is because of sin that death came into the world.

We’re all guilty of choosing to live without God at the center of our lives. And we’ve all suffered the painful, often destructive consequences. We may try to deny it or justify ourselves saying “I’m a good person.” But the truth is we’ve all failed to love God and love our neighbor as we should. We know deep inside something is wrong. We know we’re disconnected from God. We’ve fallen short of the purpose for which he created us. That’s our problem, and we are powerless to fix it.

So let me ask you, “Do you think the one who created us has abandoned us? Or has God done something to rescue us?”

God Comes to Our Rescue

A little over two-thousand years ago it happened. God, the Creator of the universe, came into our broken world. God became a man, a living, breathing human being. His name is Jesus. The Bible makes a shocking claim about this man. It says, “He’s the image of the invisible God, for by Him all things in heaven and earth were created…” (Colossians 1:15-16).

In Jesus we meet God face-to-face. He lived among us. He healed our sickness. He gave sight to the blind, and hearing to the deaf. He condemned injustice, cared for the poor and brought hope to the broken-hearted. He even raised the dead.

Everything Jesus said and did left the fingerprints of God’s love and goodness on the human race.

The mercy and compassion of Jesus revealed to us the true identity of God, but we did not recognize him. Instead we rejected him. In our pride we accused him and found him guilty, worthy of death.

We decided to crucify him. We turned away from him, shook our fist in his face and said, we don’t need you. We condemned him, spat upon him, and shamed him. Finally we nailed him to a cross and watched him die.

The significance of the crucifixion of Jesus can only be fully understood when you realize that it was God himself suffering as a human being on that cross—Jesus with nails in his hands and feet. God himself stripped naked for our sin. God humiliated and tormented for our shame. His body broken. His blood poured out for our guilt. Suffering alone on that cross. God himself allowed the human agony of death, the terrible penalty of our sin to fall upon him instead of us.

Why? So that through Jesus the mercy and forgiveness of God could be poured out on everyone who believes. This is how God demonstrates his love. He never abandoned us. This is how far God was willing to go so that you and I may be forgiven and completely restored in our relationship with him.

But the story of Jesus doesn’t end with his death. On the third day after Jesus died and was buried, the followers of Jesus became eyewitnesses to the most important event in human history—the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. At first, they were frightened. Then Jesus said: “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Luke 24:38-39 NASB).

What will you do with Jesus?

Jesus did what only God can do. He led the way out of death into life. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Every person who believes in me, even if he dies, will live” (John 11:25 NASB).

When Jesus conquered death, he proved that every claim the Bible makes about his identity as our God, our Creator, and our Savior, is true. The truth of the resurrection is the reason Jesus alone can be trusted to rescue you from the power of sin and give you life after death.

What person ever made such claims? He’s either a liar, or crazy — or he is who he says he is.

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one can come to God unless they come through me” (John 14:6, CSB paraphrased).

Because Jesus alone has all authority over life and death, He commands each of us to turn away from our sinful life and turn to him. That’s what faith is. The Bible tells us that those who believe in Jesus — those who welcome him into their lives —to them he gives the right to become the children of God (John 1:12).

Right now Jesus promises full and free forgiveness to you in an undying love-relationship with God that will give peace, joy, and meaning to the way you live now, and forever. This is why you exist — the purpose for which God created you.

If this is what you desire, simply tell Jesus what’s in your heart by praying a prayer like this:’

“Jesus, I need you. Thank you for sacrificing your life for the payment of my sin. Please forgive me. I believe you have the power to rescue me and give me new life in a love relationship with you. Help me love you, honor you, and live my life for you.”

If you have made this commitment to Jesus Christ, he actually entered your life. He will help you to become the brand-new person he created you to be. He is freeing you to experience a life of meaning, purpose and power.