Simplicity plus Power equals Wonder

Whilst conducting an orientation for a consultant at my workplace recently--a guy who’d been a fast jet engineer for the Royal Australian Air Force for several years--I was edified with a detailed (yet simplistic) description of the jet engine.

I discovered that both Sir Frank Whittle and Dr. Hans von Ohain were credited with the invention of the modern jet engine, and how simplistic the jet engine design was as compared with the internal combustion engine in automobiles, for instance.

It works simply by sucking in and compressing air, adding a fuel mix and lighting it, with the resulting expanded burned gases being blown out the nozzle at the rear of engine, and this generates thrust and significant power.

I’ve always been enthralled by the simplicity and power of the aeroplane jet engine. Since a small boy I’ve marvelled at aircraft flight, particularly the jets. The sound of the engine, the smell of the burned fuel, the nimbleness of flight, and the pick-up of the jet as it travels along the runway have all caused me to experience wonder.

And the same could be said for God. Simply nothing could be compared to the radical simplicity[1] and transcendent power of God.

How could it be that God demonstrates both his simplicity and power in Creation in such ways that the human mind can conceive them? Before the discovery of the organic cell i.e. cellular life, no one could have thought how radically intricate these ‘living machines’ were.

The cell, which is something small enough to occupy a couple of billion parts of the human body, is so large compared with the smallest items of matter i.e. molecules and atoms. At the opposite extreme is the Universe. Notwithstanding eternal inflation,[2] it has been thought for some time now that our known universe is but one of many. This boggles the mind in incandescent awe of the Creator.

Yet, God keeps our life so exceedingly simple. It is us that bring into the equation many complex drives and urges, which serve only to complicate things. We, who have such pathetic power in comparison to God, can simply make things so complex.

Wonder comes from power with simplicity. The sensible person can only marvel.

Copyright © 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

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ENDNOTES:
[1] Although it could be argue that God is inordinately complex, the basic premises of God are infinitely simplistic compared with his awesomeness.
[2] The theories of eternal inflation of the universe, multiverses and Boltzmann Brains are truly mind-boggling.