Years ago, I was a youth minister in Los Alamos, New Mexico. That name may sound familiar to you, but if not, it is the location of the Los Alamos National Laboratory — you know, the place where atomic bombs were made.

It is in a beautiful setting in the mountains of northern New Mexico. Our youngest daughter was born there, and it was a good time. We often took visitors to the lab’s museum where you can gain a great understanding about the history of the place and the science that has been a key to its existence.

On this day, Dec 2, 1942, under the athletic stadium at the University of Chicago, Enrico Fermi was able to initiate a nuclear reaction that could be started, controlled and stopped. Two years later, Fermi would move to Los Alamos, where he was assistant director with Robert Oppenheimer for the Manhattan Project. You may be asking what this has to do with faith?

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In Colossians 1.15 – 17, the apostle Paul writes, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: 16 for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

One of those things that Jesus holds together is the atom and thus our universe. When we consider the size and the power of our universe and then consider how it exists and the great strength that is necessary to keep it all together, it can be overwhelming.

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However, to take it a step further, to realize that we will celebrate, in a few days, the birth of a baby, the One who holds it all together — well, it blows my mind.

Remember in Genesis that God spoke the universe into creation, so it is no surprise that in the Gospel of John (a New Testament book) that John uses some similar language about the beginning to show that Jesus was there. John goes so far to say Jesus is the Word. I would suggest this year that when Dec. 25 rolls around, you look at the baby in a different light.

Dr. L. S. Middleton is the senior minister at Craig Christian Church, 960 West Victory Way. All Scriptures are NASB unless otherwise noted.