“Lord, Thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is.”
Like other bivalves, mussels are animals that live in water. They live inside two protective shells hinged at the back so they can be opened and closed. Mussels are often found on offshore rocks at ocean beaches where they are alternately covered with water and exposed to air. Food from the waves is sucked in through a long siphon and passed on to their gills, where thousands of microscopic hairs trap the food and force it on to their mouths.
Living in groups, the edible blue mussel attaches itself to ocean rocks, using an adhesive from a gland in its “foot.” Thousands of tons of water beat against it from tides and waves, yet it clings tightly to its home. Isn’t it amazing that such a small form of life can resist such great power?
Another amazing fact is that mussels do not die when the tide goes out and leaves them exposed to air. They stay alive during this temporary dry spell by keeping water inside their shells and by moist seaweed and moss draped over them by receding water — all a planned part of God’s protective care.
Freshwater mussels are like their ocean cousins but live on the bottom of a stream or lake. There the female lays thousands of eggs, carrying them in a mantle (a fold in the body wall) attached to her shell until they hatch. After hatching, each little mussel, which is equipped with numerous tiny hooks, attaches itself to a passing fish. It remains there for several weeks, feeding on the fish’s blood. This does not kill the fish. After the mussel has grown to a good size, it drops to the bottom of the stream to live as an adult.
One of the mussel’s greatest enemies is the muskrat. Knowing its teeth cannot break the hard shell, the muskrat takes them out of the water one by one, spreads them on the ground and occasionally turns them over. Uncomfortable in the heat of the sun, the mussels open their shells. This is what the muskrat has been waiting for, and he quickly eats them.
Everything about these small creatures reminds us of the wonders of God’s creation and His delight in making such great varieties of all things. The Bible tells us, “By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible. ... All things were created by Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:1616For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16)).
While they all act by God-given instincts, they do not know anything about their Creator who takes care of them. But God has given you and me intelligence so that we can know Him and His great love for us. Have you taken the opportunity to know Him and His Son, Christ Jesus, who died for us?
ML-01/08/2012