The Endless Surprises in God’s Creation

Discovering Endless Surprises in God’s Creation

Webster’s dictionary defines the word “surprise” as a “feeling of wonder or astonishment.”1

How about the endless surprises in God’s creation?

There’s so much to discover!

You could spend hours learning about the amazing animals inhabiting our planet.

Take the Long-wattled Umbrellabird, for example.

Endless surprises in God's creation

The Long-wattled Umbrellabird2

Personally, I’ve had interesting hairdos before, but this little guy takes the cake.

Is anyone else seeing an Elvis impersonator here?

Besides the little pompadour “umbrella” on the bird’s head, they also sport a feather-duster-like waddle from their necks.

Quite the unique-looking bird.

Don’t tell me that God does not have a sense of humor.

Found in some of the humid regions of South America, the Umbrellabird enjoys eating fruit and the occasional lizard.

I delight in God’s creation, don’t you?

Delight in God's creation

The oceans teem with life; the forests are full of His creatures; pastures and mountains are the habitations for His handiwork. Storks among the firs, badgers among the rocks, young lions in the bush, and goats in the mountains (Psalm 104:17-22)—all these things silently testify to the wonders of God’s creative mind, the glory of His wondrous skills, and the beauty of all that He has made. – Stuart Briscoe, Author and Bible Teacher.3

Each and every creature, every plant, every inch of land, and every depth of the seas – all tell a unique story of God’s perfectly-created design.

And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.Genesis 1:31, (NASB).4

God’s Extraordinary Creation and its Endless Surprises

As humans, we can barely comprehend the complexities of our world.

We’re constantly discovering and learning new things.

And, the more we learn, the more we realize just how marvelous God’s creation and its endless surprises really are.

 

Evolutionary philosophy holds that ingenious biological features were invented by the unknowing, uncaring, purposeless laws of nature, but it is clear that they were instead engineered by our wise, benevolent, and powerful Creator. Nature has never been observed inventing these kinds of complex structures, each well-suited to its task, and there is not even a theoretical, realistic step-by-step evolutionary explanation for how they could have developed. Thus, in the same way that we infer a painter from a painting, or an engineer from an engine, we infer a Creator from a creation.The Institute for Creation Research.5

Every living thing, no matter how insignificant it may seem, has a part to play in God’s grand design.

Thank You God for all that You do and for all that You have done.

The fact that we are living witnesses to His works is extremely humbling.

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1 “Surprise”. (n.d.). In Websters1913.com. Retrieved from Websters 1913 Dictionary

2 “Cotingidae – Cephalopterus penduliger” photo by Hectonichus, own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. 15 September, 2010. Accessed and retrieved January 27, 2024.

3Stuart Briscoe quotation courtesy of TellingTheTruth.org. From “Everything Beautiful.” n.d., Web. 26 November, 2023. Accessed January 29, 2024. Retrieved from https://www.tellingthetruth.org/read/individual-post/read/2023/11/26/everything-beautiful

4Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

5Quotation courtesy of The Institute For Creation Research. From “God’s Design is an Engineering Wonder”, n.d., Web.  Accessed 27th January, 2024. Retrieved from God’s Design.

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God’s Creation: This Crab Has Boxing Gloves!

God’s Amazing Creation: This Crab Has Boxing Gloves!

Are you ready to see some cuteness?

This crab has boxing gloves!

Delight in God - this crab has boxing gloves

Meet the Boxer Crab!

He’s also known as the “pom-pom crab.”

Or my favorite, “the cheerleader crab.”

You’ll soon see why.  🙂

His scientific name is: Lybia Tesselata.

Pronounced phonetically, “Lie be ah   tess a lot a.”

And, trust me, he has a “lot a” spunk and personality.

The boxer crab likes to hang out in the Pacific and Indian Oceans (Roth, n.d.)1

This adorable little crustacean only measures about an inch long, but don’t let his small size fool you.

He’s not afraid of bullies.

See those pom-pom-looking anemones on his legs?

As only God can do, the boxer crab was created with an amazing defense system. Working together in a symbiotic relationship, the boxer crab and his sea anemones hitchhikers work together to survive daily life in the deep.

Together, they will fight off any perceived threat – Rocky style!

Check this out.

Hey you want a piece of me?

C’mon Pufferfish. Give it your best shot!

God’s Creation

God’s creativity is all around us.

He is the Master Designer.

Every single creature, or blade of grass, or star in the sky has a role to play, whether we understand what that role is or not.

And the boxer crab and other tiny creatures in the world around us?

Even the smallest in God’s creation reflects the power and majesty of God.

We can see His glory in the beauty of a flower, the song of a bird, and the power of a thunderstorm.

What an amazing God we serve!

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1 From the The Mosaic Boxer Crab | Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine. (n.d.). https://www.tfhmagazine.com/articles/saltwater/a-champion-fighter-the-mosaic-boxer-crab-lybia-tesselata-full-article

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Seeing Dandelions Through New Eyes

Seeing Dandelions Through New Eyes of Appreciation

Oh, to be a kid again.

I have wonderful memories of that simpler, carefree time.

Every spring, my friends and I used to go dandelion hunting.

We would tie some of the best ones together by their stems and make dandelion necklaces!

We were so glamorous.Dandelions are a pretty amazing part of God’s creation

The bigger ones we would hold tightly in our hands, close our eyes, blow on the seed heads, and then make a wish!

Unfortunately for the dandelions though, many gardeners wish these pesky little wildflowers would just go away.

Usually, dandelions end up falling prey to a lawnmower, or they’re treated with an herbicide so they don’t take over the lawn.

But . . .

You knew a “but” was coming, didn’t you?  😉

I’m now seeing dandelions through new eyes.

11 Then God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit according to their kind with seed in them”; and it was so. 12 The earth produced vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, according to their kind; and God saw that it was good. – Genesis 1:11-12, (NASB).1

In fact, dandelions are a pretty amazing part of God’s creation.

Did you know that:

They’re edible

Every part of them, from stem to flower, can be used to make natural medicines

They’re often used as an ingredient in natural soaps

Animals, such as rabbits and grasshoppers, eat them for food

But, besides their numerous biological contributions, dandelions offer so much more.

Here’s some insight into some other amazing details about God’s creation – the dandelion.

Delight-in-God’s Creation – The Dandelion

What we as adults barely notice anymore, dandelions are quite the little flying machines as the seeds blow on by in the breeze.Seeing dandelions through new eyes

It’s reported that dandelion seeds can travel as far as a kilometer when it’s windy out. (see Taraxacum, Wikipedia.)

That’s pretty far for this natural-born hitchhiker!

A kilometer is about the size of almost ten whole football fields.

Even the tiniest of God’s creations point to His majesty and creative intelligent design.

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 “2-Minute Wonders: Uplifting Story.” Courtesy of Illustra Media. Youtube, April 4, 2020. Web. Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/zHvi3aIAQpI

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God’s Amazing Creation

Delighting in God’s Amazing Creation

Out of all of the amazing creatures that God created, the crow is usually not the “first” one that comes to my mind.

Let’s face it – in the “beauty” department, the crow just doesn’t measure up to, let’s say, the colorful and talkative parrot.

God's Amazing Creation

But, as only our Creator can do, He has equipped the crow with fascinating characteristics and intelligence that can only come from the Most High.

Did you know that crows can hold grudges?

If you pick a fight with a crow, it just may dive-bomb you the next time you cross their path.

From now on, I just plan to smile and wave at them.  😉

God’s Amazing Creation – Carpenter Crows

Did you know that crows can also make tools?

In the experiment highlighted in the video below, a crow actually bends a small twig to reach the desired but, difficult-to-reach, morsel of food!

Check this out …

I don’t think I’ll ever look at a crow the same way again.

A fascinating bird that I barely looked at before, has now gotten my attention.

As Christians, we know that all of the praise for God’s amazing creation go to Him alone.

On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. – Psalm 145:5, (NASB).1

Admiring the majesty of God’s creation honors Him.

Only God is to be worshiped, for creation exists by His power and for His glory. His existence knows no beginning or end, and He will reign forever. He is the King. Today, exalt Him as He alone deserves. Go for a walk or look out of the window and praise Him as you see His beauty displayed in what He has made. Praise Him as He continues to rule over His creation, holding you in His sovereign hand.Alistair Begg, Christian pastor and author.2

Are you feeling a little distracted today? Look outside and delight in what God has done!

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Quotation from Alistair Begg, Christian pastor, author, founder of Truth For Life Teaching Ministry. Web. Accessed 30, May, 2022. Retrieved from  https://truthforlife.org/devotionals/alistair-begg/1/1/2022/

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In The Beginning

In The Beginning

Behold, here is more delightful evidence that God is our Creator.

Meet the Lilac Roller Bird.

In the beginning God created

Look at those gorgeous colors!

It looks like a box of color crayons was dropped on its cute little head.

In the beginning . . . God.

It is I who made the earth, and created mankind upon it.
I stretched out the heavens with My hands,
And I ordained all their lights.1Isaiah 45:12, (NASB).

Don’t let man-made theories rob you of the joy in knowing that you are a child of God.  

The manmade theory of evolution devalues.

The truth of Creationism celebrates.

We are unique, we are loved, and Jesus wants every one of us to be with Him in Heaven. 

How could anyone refuse His free gift?

It is beyond my comprehension the smug, know-it-all attitudes of some in the academic community who want to battle that God doesn’t exist.

These same doubters, if they continue along this same path, are in for an eternity in hell. The Bible says it, not me.

Once you’re there, that’s it. There’s no last minute reprieve.

In the Beginning . . . Creator God

Jesus Christ is our Savior and our Creator.

He is our All in All.

Cleary, the most basic and effective way to rob Christ of His glory is to not give Him credit for creation. Jesus’ enemy seeks to further insult Him through the pseudo-scientific worldview of selectionism that misleads people into personifying nature in such a way that they don’t give credit for the creation to Christ but to creation itself.  Rand J. Guliuzza, P.E., M.D., ICR.org.

How audacious is it for mere mortals to promote another creation mechanism (the fake god of evolution), and then to teach it to the next generation as *truth* in many educational institutions?

(I guess the same people who would encourage kids to explore other genders, even to the point of surgery.)

These attacks aimed, ultimately, against our Creator are disturbing and very real.

But, wait and see.

The day is coming when true believers still here on earth will be raptured into Heaven, saved in a glorious instant from all of this spreading deception, and taken away to our heavenly home for a life of eternal joy.

Who’s with me?

I pray that you are because life can change in an instant.

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Photo credit: Lilac Roller Bird, via Wikimedia Commons, Adam John Bourke – Adam John Bourke, CC BY-SA 3.0,  <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Quotation from Dr. Rand Guliuzza, President of the Institute for Creation Research, ICR.org. Courtesy of Acts & Facts Magazine, vol. 49, no.12, December 2020 issue. n.d., para. 20. Web. Accessed December 29, 2020.

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