Stephen Hawkins asks how did it all begin ? …

There is , according to the Vedas , a cause of all causes . The Vedas defines such a cause and the purposes of the cause . Primarily, everything is  centred around consciousness, and the material energies are a secondary factor , both consciousness and the formation of matter are delineated in detail as well as speciation. The  Vedas further  clearly defines the nature of the  original causes personality and traits consisting of varigatedness within a spiritual and material plane , everything is one and different from the cause .
Although the original cause had no cause , something those that have been caused can’t get their heads around,  still , inconceivable energies are flowing throughout the universes as well as within each individual body that carries consciousness. To separate the laws of nature of  the universe, which has a functional purpose , from the origins of the universe who saw the need of the functioning universe will be essential as much as separating the high court judge from the prison.
The clue to understanding God is to  properly understand oneself , the independent nature of the sparks of consciousness that originate from the whole  inherently possess free will , and  that will  need facilitating with facilities.
What is difficulty ?

The proud proud Darwinian or the proud, proud followers of scientific materialism bodly declare to God.
” Show yourself to me.”
Never mind that we see obvious traits of what is obviously design in all things , at least in the minds of the logical person ,  along with obvious codes and informational exchanges that build the protein machines thst build the cells , that build the bodies of all creatures. On the surface of things , any sane persons can accept such observations , as Sir Fred Hoyle noted, it’s all too perfect .
Yet ,  such a mighty engineer as Divinity Himself ,the  charletons who claim to present objective science shout out to Him , ” If you exist, come and show yourself.”
Thus, the uncultured man presumes much of himself, so much so that he issues orders to God .
This is the nature of rascals .
There are also many scientific and philosophical reasons why Divinity is everywhere and nowhere .One only needs to  enquire from a person who truthfully and objectively sees truth
http://www.thevedicspectator.com

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.1.

O my Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmājī, the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth.