You don’t have to look very far around you to discover a wonderful variety in animals. God has made some very strange creatures. But they are very wonderful as well.
New Zealand, where I live, has only a very few of the world’s animals. The differences between even these are remarkable.
When we look at the birds, we see different sizes, shapes and colors, and hear different songs. Some like being on the ground, such as the kiwi, and others like flying high, such as the hawk.
Overseas the differences are even greater. There are some with brilliant colors, like the toucan; others with unusual habits, like the flamingo.
We found a Northern Royal albatross dead on Foxton Beach. It was just a young bird with a wingspan of about 2 meters (about 6 1/2 ft.). Fully grown, they may measure up to 3 meters (almost 10 ft.)! It would have been great to keep the albatross for display, but it is against the law to keep them. We are hoping the local school will be able to get permission to display it. That’s a very large bird, but some birds are very small, such as the hummingbird.
Every other sort of animal that we look at shows similar varieties. We can be amazed at the power of an electric eel and the majesty of a lion. We can be surprised at the way a hyena gets its food and how an ant stores food for the winter.
Every one of these creatures has been created by God for a purpose. One purpose is to be a lesson to us. God has provided everything these creatures need. In Genesis 1:3030And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. (Genesis 1:30) (the first chapter of the Bible) God says He has supplied food for the animals, birds and everything that creeps on the earth. They don’t even need to plant crops! Thousands of years later Jesus said the same thing when He told us to look at the birds of the air; they don’t plant or reap or store food in barns (Matthew 6:2626Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? (Matthew 6:26)). Why did He tell us to look at the birds? Because He wanted us to know that God cares for us even more: “Yet your heavenly Father [feeds] them. Are [you] not much [more valuable] than they?”
When God flooded the world in the days of Noah, He took great care to provide for animals to be preserved as well. This was because the world would need the animals afterwards. God has cared for animals ever since He created them. It’s good to know that. If God has looked after the animals, He will also look after people. That’s you and me. In fact, He looks after us even better.
When Jesus came to die for sin, He came to die for human beings, not animals. God has no plan to take animals to heaven, but He does plan to take people. Animals are made for the earth, but people are made to have fellowship with God - forever! That means He wants us to be His friends, in His family, free to share every thought and need with Him.
The Lord Jesus died so you can enjoy God’s presence in heaven forever. Have you ever accepted that as true? Not even angels (God also created them) can be saved by Jesus’ death. It’s a privilege of humans only. You can read in Hebrews 2 about Jesus becoming human to save humans. You can also read this warning: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:33How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Hebrews 2:3)). God has a special plan of salvation for you - it is centered in Jesus. Believe it!
ML-02/07/1999