As I sit to write my thoughts down, I’m not sure even where to start. I watched a program tonight called “Planet Earth” on the Discovery Channel. If you haven’t heard of it, it is an Emmy-award winning series on Earth: its plants, animals and diverse ecosystems. It took them 2,000 days to shoot it and over 204 locations were filmed. The one I watched tonight was on the forests of earth; from the Tiga just 1,000 miles south of the North Pole to the pacific coast’s redwood forest; from the east coast broadleaf forests to the Mayambu (sp) trees of Madagascar. It was an amazing show to watch!
As some of you know, I absolutely love nature. To me, nothing speaks to the glory of God more than the utter perfection found in the plants, animals and delicate balance of our wonderfully created earth. When I watch shows like this, two things strike me. The first is the delicate balance that is held between so many organisms. The second is the sadness I feel when I see an animal killed by another animal, even though I recognize that as a balance also. For example, tonight I learned that there is a flower that blooms in less than one minute in the tops of the Mayambu (sp) trees in Madagascar during the rainy season. The tree itself is awesomely odd in its appearance. It has a huge trunk in which it stores the moisture from the rains for the upcoming dry season, but the other is its flower that sits atop of the massive trunk in the midst of a rather flat crown of greenery. Normally, photojournalists have to use time-lapsed photography to film the changing of the seasons or flowers blooming, but hardly any was needed due to its one-minute bloom. Once it blooms it literally drips with nectar. It signals the tiny lemurs to awaken from their dry season hibernation to carefully lick up its nectar for nourishment. However, the nectar isn’t for the lemur. It is actually for the hawk moth that feeds on it and in return the moth spreads the pollen necessary to keep the flower blooming for future generations. All of the sudden though, the audience is told the nectar is just an appetizer for the lemur. The lemur is actually there to eat the high-in-protein hawk moth to replenish itself after it’s hibernation. It seems as if the legacy of the flower is doomed. Then, in slow motion, we see what happens as the lemur eats the moth: pollen is sprayed all over the lemur’s fur who then unknowingly pollinates other flowers on its journey from tree to tree. The flower had a purpose. The purpose seemed disrupted by a selfish appetite. The purpose of the flower was still fulfilled. Does this remind you of anything?
The first nine chapters of Genesis are my favorite in the Bible. I never grow tired of reading about the creation of the earth and animals. Did you know that everything was created vegetarian? No, I’m not saying don’t eat meat…I do! Genesis 1:29 and following say that every plant yielding seed was there for man to eat and yes, in verse 30, every beast of the earth, every bird in the sky and all that crawls upon the ground were given “every green plant for food.” There was no fear between man and animal or even animal of animal. It wasn’t until Genesis 9:2 that “fear and terror” of man was put in the nature of animals, birds and creeping creatures and were consummated as a food source for man, and in my interpretation for each other. Don’t you see? God created the Earth and everything in it perfect and in perfect harmony with each other. Sin and its selfish appetite disrupted that purpose. But earth and its creatures, and especially man, have continued on because of God’s infinite wisdom, love and the sacrifice of His son Jesus! Praise God!
We’ve all seen the picture of the lion lying with the lamb. (At the time of this writing, I was unable to find the biblical reference to that.) I feel sad when I see a lion take down a zebra, a fox eat a rabbit and yes, even a lemur eating a moth even though I know it’s necessary for balance and survival. I feel sad because I believe it is not what God intended. God created peace, harmony and balance. Sin disrupted it all. These are my feelings. However, in Romans 8 starting in verse 18, the writer goes on a discourse about how “creation waits eagerly for the revealing”. Verse 20 states how “creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it in hope.” Then, my favorite, verse 22 says, “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.” (I know there will be some of you who read this and will disagree with what I espouse the meaning of those verses to mean. I believe there are many verses in the Bible that can be applied to many situations without contradicting itself.) Sin messed up everything! It brought shame and pain to Adam and Eve, labor and toil to both man and animals, and finally death as a means to an end in the circle of life. The joyous news is that man, and I believe creation, both wait in trusting hope because Christ died on the cross to keep the balance of life not just equal, but tipping in our favor! We, the creatures, long for our Creator. Romans 5:15 and following say, “For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.”
Some say “Life imitates Art.” Tonight, in the flower, the moth, the lemur and again the flower, I saw God. I guess I believe that nature reflects God’s omniscient plan: Nature is balanced and harmonious, even in spite of all its obstacles; it keeps going on year after year….waiting. We too, can remain balanced and harmonious with God as we keep our focus on Christ and await His glorious return! Let the church (and creation) say MARANATHA! LORD COME QUICKLY!!!
