Recent news headlines stated: Cern scientists reporting from the Large Hadron Collider have claimed the discovery of a new particle consistent with the Higgs boson. The team claimed they had seen a "bump" in their data corresponding to a particle weighing in at 125.3 gigaelectronvolts - about 133 times heavier than the protons that lie at the heart of every atom.

So that’s it. Scientists at a cost £2.6 billion and innumerable hours of research have discovered the “God particle” and so, some would claim, humanity now knows the secrets of the universe. There is nothing more to discover.

Yet as a research scientist and a Christian I believe that the physical world, wonderful and complex as it is, is only a tiny fraction of the whole of creation.

There is so much more to discover.

The 14th century Christian writer Julian of Norwich wrote that she had a vision of the whole of the universe as “a little thing the size of a hazel nut”. She wondered how such a little thing could endure. God explained to her that he made it, he loves it and he keeps it.

This awesome God, the creator and sustainer of all time and space, is also the one who seeks to know each one of us personally. He entered his creation through his Son Jesus Christ, who lived, died and was raised, that all may have the gift of eternal life. It is important to remember however that a gift is not truly a gift, unless it is willingly received. Is it a gift you are willing to explore, discover and receive?

The Rev Dr David Whitehead, team vicar, The Rainbow Parish