In this quote, Philip Yancey emphasizes that natural processes such as death, decay, entropy, and destruction represent the breaks in God's laws, highlighting the reality of impermanence and disorder in the world. These phenomena are seen as the normal course of life, illustrating how the universe tends toward chaos apart from divine intervention.
He contrasts this with miracles, describing them as the initial signs of renewal and hope. Miracles serve as glimpses of restoration and divine power at work within a broken world, offering believers reassurance that God's laws include the potential for renewal despite the presence of disorder and decay.