If you are like me, part of your day in lockdown is spent aimlessly browsing through thumbnail images of movies and TV series on streaming services looking for something decent to watch. On occasion, a nature show will catch my fancy and compel me to click.
My memory of watching nature shows stretches quite far back to early childhood. One vivid memory I have as a five or six year old is of watching a nature film in a crowded movie theater, which showed a small animal happily foraging for its dinner when suddenly an enormous predator pounced on it, bringing the poor creature’s grocery shopping expedition to an abrupt and startling denouement. The unexpected and ferocious nature of the scene caused me to yelp loudly and the audience erupted in laughter at my outburst. Naturally, my family teased me about this for years.
In that same movie, even having watched it so long ago, I distinctly recall that a portion of the film was devoted to the golden wheel spider, which lives in the vast sand dunes of the South African Namib desert. When this tiny insect detects danger from its predator, it will interlace its legs together to form a ball and roll down the steep sand dunes at breakneck speed in order to escape danger. (Click here to view the amazing acrobatics!) Even at that young age, I marveled at the ingenious way God had provided this lowly spider a way to manage its environment.
All around us, we can observe many other incredible ways God has provided for his creation to adapt to circumstances. For years, we have battled a pileated woodpecker who has wreaked havoc on our cedar house. Yet, despite my aggravation with it, I cannot help but be in awe of how God designed this bird. I learned years ago that its tongue is so long it wraps around the back of its head. This is so that it can access insects deep down in the holes it excavates. In addition to this nifty feature, it has a third eyelid which functions much like goggles, closing once wood chips start flying during its drilling activities.
In the same way God has provided animals with what they need to survive, he has also made provision for us to adapt to whatever circumstances we may encounter in life. In his last days on earth Jesus warned his disciples of future suffering, saying, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Psalm 34:19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” As Stevie Wonder says in his song, “You Will Know”:
Gets down on their knees and starts to pray
Looking up to heaven for the answer
They hear a voice that says
You will know
Lonely heart you’ll know
Problems have solutions
Trust and I will show
In this time filled with angst and uncertainty, we can rest in the knowledge that in Jesus we have all we need to cope. The apostle cries out to God regarding the “thorn in his side” (2 Corinthians 12:9). In reply, God says to him (and to us):
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
May his grace be with you now and always in all circumstances!
Nina Kylstra. Member of the LifeWay body of Christ for 22 years. Wife of the lovable Eric Kylstra for 30 years. Life-long follower of Christ.