Five Objects of Wonder, Part 3
All things are meant to reveal God’s glory, as it says in Romans 11:36:
For from him and through him
and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever. Amen.
Therefore, I offer a third installment of my Objects of Wonder series (follow these links for part 1 and part 2). Now find a room with a soft floor just in case your jaw drops as you consider these amazing works of God:
Microanimals
One of my favorite animals is called a tardigrade, or water bear. They may be too small to keep as pets, but they are cute, abundant and about the size of grass pollen. But don’t assume you can squash them like bugs. If you think grizzlies are tough, check out the supernatural abilities of this miniature marvel. They can survive without air, food, or water; live in lava, in ice, and even in outer space! Maybe tardigrades are from outer space? Don’t worry, they’re friendly.
Chameleons
Also as if from a faraway planet, these alien creatures with their 360 degree vision and lightning-fast tongues can change the color and pattern of their skin like a mood ring. The best I can do is watch my skin turn red after about 30 minutes in the sun. If you’re lucky enough to hang out at the Coppingers’ house, you’ll be able to see a chameleon in real life!
Dolphins
I took these for granted growing up making frequent trips to the Gulf Coast in Texas. While we trolled around the salty sea, dolphins kept us entertained with magnificent arcs, flips and twists. These brainy mammals live up to 50 years and never abandon their families. They give each other names, learn abstract concepts, and, if you ever watched Flipper, you know they even save human lives.
Flying Fish
One thing I never took for granted while deep-sea fishing was watching flying fish. Even after schools of them darted over our boat, I still had a hard time believing they were real. They can sail above the water for nearly a minute and as high as 26 feet above the water. Flying fish are so fast it’s hard to make out the shape of them, which added to my bafflement. Wait, did I actually see them?
The Ocean
While we’re on the subject, we might as well stand in awe again at the mighty depths of the earth’s oceans. As intelligent as we think modern humans are, we still basically know nothing about what is below sea level. Just last month, scientists discovered a 20-arm feathery sea creature near Antarctica. Even today, we can still be on a ship far into blue water and relate to the biblical authors’ concept of the ocean as primeval, chaotic, dark, and scary.
Are you as floored as I am when considering the wondrous works of the Lord? All these things, as mysterious and amazing as they are to us, are from the creative hands of a loving God. They are made to magnify Him and give him glory. Also, they should remind us to do the same.
