“Loving God’s Creation”

Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea


God’s creatures are so much more marvelous than anything human beings can make. Their variety is almost beyond imagination. Let us begin to understand ourselves as partners with all God’s creatures in God’s ongoing creation. Join me on a visit to the zoo . . . but this time with new eyes. Let’s take God with us. He created all living things “according to their kind” (Genesis 1:21). A trip to the zoo can be used to glorify God. I found there are many fascinating truths about the animals while researching some of the most unique, at least to me, for instance did you know the giraffe’s heart is the largest of any land animal because it must pump blood all the way to its head. The polar bear’s fur is made of clear hollow tubes, for trapping the sun’s heat. The elephant’s trunk has over 40,000 muscles, while the entire human has only a few hundred muscles. The one animal that was a must see for me was the lions, as I personally relate so much I know about God to this land animal. The lion is mentioned more than 100 times in Scripture, so he plays an important role in God’s revelation, not only as a mighty creation but also as a spiritual warning. Jesus Christ was prophesied to be the Lion of Judah (Genesis 49:9Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he crouched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?). By dying on the Cross-as an innocent lamb, He overcame death, the world, and the devil. His humble sacrifice for sin illustrates His love and mercy, and shows His worthiness to rule forever over His people.

God marvelously illustrates Christ’s power, strength, and great purpose through this beautiful beast, the lion.

Picture taken at the Cincinnati, Ohio Zoo by Brenda Redmond.

One says that the eyes are the gateway to the soul, when I see this beautiful Lion it touches my soul as I feel its majesty defines who our Heavenly Father is. Jesus is described as "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29 Jesus identified Himself with all the innocent animals who had been sacrificed for the sins of mankind and declared that His was the final sacrifice.

All along God had the creation planned out, from the creatures of the seas down to the lion. Even as He had told Noah to bring two of all animals onto the ark. He loves us so much; He gives us bountiful beauty all around us. The next time you take a trip to the zoo take time to actually study the animals as I did, and then just be AMAZED by Gods beautiful work.

Wolves and sheep will live together in peace, and leopards will lie down with young goats, calves and lion cubs will feed together, and little children will take care of them. Cows and bears will eat together, and their calves and cubs will lie down in peace. Lions will eat straw as cattle do . . . The land will be as full of knowledge of the Lord as the seas are full of water." Isaiah 11:6-9