Deep Glory: How the Oceans Display the Glory of God, Part I

The earth contains five oceans (the Arctic, the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian, and the Southern), all of which are designed to display the glory of God in a number of ways. First, the earth’s oceans are massive and mysterious. They occupy nearly 71% of the earth’s surface. They contain nearly 97% of the earth’s water. Their average depth is two-and-one-half miles. Their lowest point, known as “The Challenger Deep,” is one mile lower than Mount Everest is tall. Furthermore, despite our curiosity and technological advance, we have yet to explore even ten-percent of the ocean’s volume and thus much of it remains a mystery to us. 

Compared to a solar system or galaxy, our oceans are very small. But compared to the rest of the earth they’re massive and mysterious, and they help us to palpably feel these same aspects of God. When we behold the surface of the ocean and contemplate its magnitude, we gain a small glimpse of the massiveness of the being and the importance of God for all of life. And as we feel that sense of overwhelm and curiosity that’s at the heart of all exploration, we experience the emotions that are ultimately designed to draw us deeper into the mysteries of God in Christ. Indeed, God gave us the gift of oceans both to inspire and invite us into the heart of who he is. 

Second, the earth’s oceans are marvels of engineering. For example, one of the primary functions of the oceans is to regulate the earth’s temperature in at least two ways. On the one hand, the oceans receive heat from the sun and then, via their complex currents, distribute and regulate that heat throughout the earth. Without this multifaceted system, the landed portions of the earth would be uninhabitable. On the other hand, the oceans absorb and dissolve excess carbon-dioxide from the run off that flows into them and from the air that hovers over them. In this way they keep the earth from getting too warm, and they play an integral role in maintaining an atmosphere that is friendly to those of us who need to breathe a particular density of oxygen. 

The likelihood that these features of the oceans developed on their own is somewhere between none and zero! Indeed, these mighty bodies of water plainly display the engineering genius of God who is wise beyond our imagination. And they display the unending grace of God who is ever laboring to provide for his people a physically and spiritually habitable space. Oh how the oceans declare the glory of God! 

But wait, there’s more…next week.