God's Purposes

One of the things I love about God’s Word is the continued revelation it provides. Each time I read a passage, it is with fresh eyes. Personally, I ask the Lord for His revelation. I don’t want to miss anything. 

This morning I read the story of Noah and the flood yet again. I was struck by God’s mourning of the evils of man. I was also struck by how He valued His creation. After all, when He completed each day of creation He said, “It is good”. He desired to preserve what He had created. He valued the scorpion and snake, the sand piper and sparrow, the moose and the mouse. And a righteous man and his family.

Everything He created has purpose. Granted when a large black, bold jumping spider (that’s its actual name!) was walking across our kitchen table last week, I wasn’t thinking about its purpose on this earth. It did not survive. But as I was picking red raspberries yesterday, I noticed a striking garden spider among the briers. I did not disturb it. I actually marveled at its beauty and for anyone who knows me, that’s amazing! Spiders and I…well, I had a few too many unpleasant experiences growing up on the farm! However, God is allowing me to see them differently, to appreciate His purpose in creating them. 

When I sit in my prayer closet and listen to the song birds in the trees surrounding our home, I marvel at the perfect chords and melodies. To me, they provide the most beautiful music in the world. By contrast, I don’t welcome the messy, raucous starling that returns to nest every spring. I don’t appreciate their throaty scolding as I pick berries and pull weeds near their nests. But God has purpose in them as well. 

Some would see God’s creation as cruel. When I witnessed a red tailed hawk capture a rabbit in our yard and then proceed to eat it, I was repulsed. It was too raw, too real. Perhaps I prefer out of sight, out of mind in some cases. The hawk needs to eat. It needs to feed its family. God has purpose in it. 

A couple of years ago, I noticed an injured Canada goose in the field south of our house. I assumed it had flown on with its flock but a day later several vultures converged at the very spot I had last seen the goose. Let’s face it, vultures are ugly and several of them in one place is a whole lot of ugly! But, if you consider God’s purpose in creating them, their appearances make perfect sense. Why have a beautifully feathered head when they are purposed to eat carrion? 

Our four feline companions come to mind: beautiful, loving, independent, inquisitive and oh so funny. We are entertained by their antics, their voices, the blur as they race around the house. I rejoice when they catch a mouse - and Larry disposes of it! They are self-cleaning and who doesn’t like self-cleaning? They provide snuggles, rubs and purrs. These last few days, they have been engrossed by a chipmunk in the flowerbed below our large living room window. (I didn’t know chipmunks ate lily blooms until yesterday…grrrr!) All four cats were in the window looking for their tormenter bright and early this morning which of course brought a chuckle. So much purpose in these four-legged hairballs...ahem, I mean, regal beings. =^..^= 

I encourage you, as you go about your day, to consider God’s purpose in His creation. I know it has changed my perspective. I serve an awesome God!