Proverbs 3:19–20
The popular view is that the universe, and later the earth, just “happened.” No God, no creator, no wisdom. Living with this view raises serious questions about the underlying purpose of life. If the life we are living is seen as accidental and meaningless, it is not clear what would cause us to do anything beyond satisfying own needs and desires. Few will overtly admit that they have chosen to adhere to the view that the universe is a random accident, but it does seem to be a philosophy of life that has taken hold in certain circles in many countries around the world, particularly in the West.
The Christian view is built on the Genesis story of creation, where God intentionally creates the heavens and the earth. Furthermore, it says that He found the act of creation to be good: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness” (Genesis 1:3–4).
One account of the creation of the world speaks to a huge, mysterious cosmic accident. The other, also filled with mystery, tells of a world created by God as an intentional act. Of course, the Genesis story is only the beginning, but it is the only story that includes each one of us. Whether or not we choose to live within the framework of God’s story is another story.
—Eric Kampmann, Signposts