I hope that you enjoyed the brief detour into the world of mountain flowers and gentians, in particular, as well as the tents by St. Pauls. Now it is back to the unfolding list of my “Eight Key Beliefs”. We have reached one on which I touched lightly back in March 2010. It was rather disrespectfully entitled, “A Cosmic Joke”. http://colinhawkersother.blogspot.com/2010/03/cosmic-joke.html
Moving on the “Key Belief Number Five”, you will think that I have only three to go. You may be surprised or disappointed (depending on your point of view) to know that there are at least five to go and maybe more, proving that I am not very good at arithmetic.
I have already put forward the thought that God created the Universe, firstly because he is a creating God, and secondly as the backdrop or context to Man’s existence. http://colinhawkersother.blogspot.com/2011/10/he-is-creating-and-sharing-god.html
I also put forward the additional reason that God wants to draw Man’s attention to His existence. The Universe is so vast and our understanding and knowledge of it is so small, even if that knowledge is growing every year. It stands to reason that as Man looks out to infinity (and 13 Billion Light Years, and increasing, is nearly infinity*1), his thoughts are naturally drawn to God, the Creator and Man’s own insignificance.
Actually, not one bit of it. From my (unscientific) research in talking to people who do not believe in God, none are impressed by this argument or thought that the enormity and complexity of the Universe proves that there is some kind of God. I don’t know of anyone who has looked out at the stars or considered some of the facts of the universe and been persuaded, to believe in God, from a position of not believing to God. Now, there probably is such a person, but I have not met them and I suspect that he, she or they are the exception (and anyway, it would spoil the argument that I am building up here).
If this is the case, subject to a few awkward exceptions which I shall ignore, then that leaves only people who believe in God who make the connection and are impressed. And by and large, they are impressed.
As a brief, but not unexpected side-track, I have no thoughts or theories on why might this be the case (assuming that it is the case). But if it is true, then I will further develop the idea, that a person’s knowledge of God comes only via a personal and even direct interaction with Him. (See Balaam’s donkey http://colinhawkersother.blogspot.com/2011/10/balaams-donkey.html)
It is only then then an appreciation of everything that God has done, both in our lives and in the world at large becomes possible.
(However, a side-track within a side-track. People often see what they do not approve of in the world as a reason for not believing in God. I will expand on this at a future date in one of my fillers*2.)
At this point, Psalm 8 is worth reading and considering. Here is an easy link for you. It is very short. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%208&version=NIV
This is first psalm that praises God for his creation, and asks the question why God should care for man. A very good question, indeed. The Psalmist can hardly believe the extent of the universe that God has created, compared with the insignificance of Man. But the Psalmist’s starting point is one of belief in God. The extent of what he sees and the place where God has placed Man in relation to this, leaves him staggered and in awe.
So perhaps my title and Core Belief becomes “God made the Universe to Show the Extent of his Power to his People / to those who believe in Him”.
--------------------------------------------------*1 People who understand Mathematics need not reply to this piece on nonsense – but you get the point.
*2 A filler is one of Grumpy’s brother’s blogs which are not one the “Eight Key Beliefs”. 
