Nature Reveals God's Protection

Our bodies need many forms of protection, from exotic dangers (such as rocks falling from space) to the mundane (such as temperature control).

If the earth had a thinner atmosphere, our planet would be hit with incoming rocks and harmful radiation. Mercury, Pluto, and the moon have almost no air at all. Their surfaces are scarred with craters from the impacts of giant boulders, little pebbles, and small grains of sand. The surfaces of these planets are very hot when facing the sun and very cold when facing away. If earth had a thicker atmosphere, our planet would be boiling hot. The weight of the atmosphere on Venus and the "gas giant" planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) is very heavy. On Venus, for instance, the surface pressure is 90 times that of earth! The surface pressure of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are even higher.

Earth has the right mixture of nitrogen and oxygen in its atmosphere. Venus and the gas giants have the wrong kind of gases for humans (or any other life forms) to survive there. Venus is mostly carbon dioxide. The gas giants are mostly hydrogen and helium. The other planets have little or no "air" at all. Truly, the very air we breathe is an invisible yet universal witness to God's protective providence.

Sunlight reaches us through our transparent atmosphere. Even though we can see through it, our atmosphere is also a filter. It allows in the sun's radiation that is useful to life, but blocks the radiation that is harmful to life. Only a fraction of the radio waves and some of the visible light and infrared radiations are blocked, but almost all of the harmful ultraviolet rays, x-rays and gamma rays never reach us.

We have been given an atmosphere that protects us. It provides just the right amount of air and warmth we need. It allows the sunlight to reach the plants that feed us. Our transparent atmosphere not only protects us, but it allows us to the see the stars and wonder at the heavens. The question is: are these marvelous devices merely accidents, or are they evidence of incredible design by a Creator?