After seeing just four of the animals occupying creation, I think we would agree that they are very different! Two can swim, one can fly, and one crawls! One is huge, one is large, one is medium sized and one is tiny. They have different shapes and skins and attributes. And they are just the beginning of the thousands upon thousands of species that live among us. It is no wonder that the Psalmist sung the following words:
O LORD, how manifold are your works!In wisdom have you made them all;the earth is full of your creatures.Here is the sea, great and wide,which teems with creatures innumerable,living things both small and great.
The world is made up of various environments- deserts, tundra, oceans and mountains, to name but a few. Throughout the planet plant-life and crops vary dramatically. Weather and climate also changes. Three years ago, I spent four weeks in the sub-continent of India. During the month, I travelled from the Himalayan region of Himachal-Pradesh south for 12 hours via coach, sleeper train and rickshaw until I reached Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. The scenery, climate and smells changed quite a lot, however if you glance at a map of India you will see that I had hardly journeyed 20% of the length of the country. I saw this change even more dramatically during our trek across a small length of the Himalayan mountains. After about 5 or 6 days of rocky, almost desert-like, surroundings- traversing through dusty mountain passes and sometimes over the peaks themselves- we passed through one valley to find ourselves in a region that could be described as luscious! Vegetation and wildlife flourished, allowing villagers to live amongst the mountains. A traveling coca-cola salesman also managed to find our team!
To match this amazing diversity in creation, accents and skin colours change amongst mankind. Culture and civilization is shaped by their surroundings; Tokyo, New Delhi, Timbuktu and Royal Lemington Spa are all very different from one another! Language, Architecture, society and fashion are as diverse as the planet they inhabit.
The point I am trying to convey is the huge diversity across Creation. The Creator has not made a "one-size-fits-all" world (although that is his prerogative as the creator). Rather he has given us a whole planet, nay universe, of new and exciting things. In a very reverent way, God has an imagination that is endless, way beyond our comprehension. The diverseness of the world only reinforces our earlier discoveries as to the vastness of our God. The amazing spectrum of places, creatures and plants sings out to the amazing creator.
Perhaps you've heard of the song "All things bright and beautiful", well here a a couple of verses from that lovely hymn, they are a neat bridge between the two 'attributes' of creation and the creator that we are looking at:
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings...
The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset, and the morning,
That brightens up the sky...
The LORD God made them all...
Have you ever considered taste? Why does chocolate cake taste so good? Why do I love to munch on a warm sausage roll? After a long road trip why do I get that mmmmmm sensation when biting down into a double-decker cheese burger? My body could survive-physically speaking- on slop and water, perhaps with the odd slice of bread. Why did the Creator give us taste? Why did he creator flavours? Salt and Vinegar- why do we have them? And why is their so much variety? How come we can create a whole range of dairy products from one cow?
Why does bread smell so good? Why do flowers give off such a lovely smell? Candles, what are they all about? Ever caught the smell of rain? That is a hidden treasure!
How come we are born with our own little choir? Why does the movement of muscles in our throats create such a stunning symphony? Why did the creator decree that the plucking of tense strings would form waves of sound that would land upon our ears? Talking of ears, how come music is so delightful to them? (Whereabouts in the "evolutionary path" of "survival of the fittest" did man decide to ignore home building, food production and defense in favour of listening to music?!)
Colours? Why?... Imagine how dull a world in black and white might be- but we would never have known what we were missing, surely. So... why do we have colours then? Shades of brown, hints of blue, splashes of red, hughes of green, indigo, violet, maroon, lime, purple....
Why does a sunset bring such joy? Why does a mug of steaming tea cheer me up? Why does the morning song of the birds twinkle on my eardrums? Because God has created a beautiful world. God has created a world crammed full of beautiful and wonderful things. Taste, Smell, Sound.... all working in unison to amaze and astound us! The whole realm of nature glorifying the magnificent Creator!
How can anyone when confronted with the beauty of this world say anything but 'Praise the LORD!' The Bible says that men have attempted to twist and pervert what we plainly see into their own 'wisdom', however their wisdom is total foolishness. Many philosophers and writers have been known to say, in one way or another, this:
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.One question for you geniuses: Who created the eye?!
Well, the Creator God did! He has not only filled the world with beauty and wonder, but he has given us the tools and the emotions to begin to appreciate it.
Whenever we see something, a huge process has already taken place. After light has shined into our pupils it hits the lens. The lens focuses the light onto the retina which is situated at the back of the eyeball. Millions of light-sensitive cells on the retina receive the light and changes it into nerve signals which are sent to the brain, which in turn deciphers the signals and tells us what we are seeing. God has designed and created two eyes for each of us; they are capable of taking in everything around us, including distance, perspective and colour. He has not only created this beautiful world, but also given us the eyes to see it!
"All things bright and beautiful" goes on to say:
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
So what have we learnt about our Creator? Well, firstly, he is so much bigger and more imaginative than us! The wonders of the whole creation, the diverseness of the it all, the smells, tastes, sounds and sights are all the work of our God! Colours, chords, crocodiles, chocolate cake and cashmere: all the creation of God!
Secondly, he has made a world that is full of beauty, that reflects his own beauty. The whole world glorifies God himself. The purpose of creation is to rejoice in its creator. And he hasn't left us unable to enjoy it either: he formed in us the tools we need to hear, smell, taste and see. He gave us an appreciation of the divine. He gave us the emotions, feelings and desires that allow us to enjoy and marvel at his works.
Are there things in creation which confuse you? Why are they there? Well maybe God made them so that we can praise him for his knowledge and vastness!
In Ancient times there was a great sea beast called Leviathan. The Leviathan swam in the deep oceans, fearsome and mighty. It was the stuff of legends: the bible describes the creature as boiling water through its very breath! Why did God create Leviathan? Well, the Psalmist gives us one reason- he is talking about the seas and oceans and all that live in and on them:
There go the ships,and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.
That certainly would not be the purpose I would have given Leviathan! But the mighty sea beast was formed to play in the sea! Its purpose in life is to paddle and splash and have fun! It was formed to enjoy creation and to glorify the maker: God!
Praise God that He has given us such a wonderful world to live in! I will live you with the words of Psalm 148:
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the LORD!
For he commanded and they were created.
And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
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