Today marks the opening of the world’s longest railway tunnel here in Switzerland: the Gotthard Base Tunnel. The Swiss have dug out a 57-km passageway through the Alps. Several days of celebration are planned with various European leaders on hand and hundreds of international journalists. It is even getting its own app.
Construction has taken 17 years to complete, often with three shifts working around the clock. At a cost of 12 billion Swiss francs, it will shorten the travel time between Zurich and Milan by almost an hour. It’s expected to handle 260 trains a day, some of them at speeds up to 250 km per hour. An engineering marvel and a tribute to the ability of Swiss organization, it’s something to be proud of. I hope to get a look at it sometime soon.
Truly, humans are creative and have built some incredible infrastructures. However, the tunnel (almost two kilometers deep) pales in comparison to the beauty and majesty of the Alps above it. Nothing is more amazing or beautiful than nature itself. Daily, we are reminded of the awesome splendor of nature. From glowing sunsets to a simple bouquet of flowers on the kitchen table – each is an incredible work of art. The Bible reminds us that God is the original creator, the great architect who designed it all.
A thousand years from now, should someone stumble onto a long forgotten tunnel under the Alps, she wouldn’t question the existence of someone who made it. An opening like that doesn’t just appear; it didn’t create itself. In a similar way, we know that creation itself is testimony to the creator. God says that all of creation is enough to know that there is a creator and he is good.
Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” And Romans 1:20 states: “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”
Many of us live in the rush and busyness of a city. But even here, we can catch glimpses of God’s good creation. As you go through this day, keep an eye out for reminders that God is good and he is our creator.
