"They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts,
in that day when I make
up MY JEWELS.”
(Malachi 3:17)
To my dear grandchildren,
The Anteater
“The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the
rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.”
(Psalm 50:1)
The anteater, a very unusual animal, lives in the damp, tropical forests of Mexico and Central and South America. There are a number of species, ranging in size from just seven inches long to the giant anteater which can grow to six feet long. You might be frightened if you happened on one of these in the wild, with its tube-shaped head, coarse, gray hair striped with white and long bushy tail. Actually, they do no harm unless they are attacked. Anteaters live in burrows, in hollow logs or sometimes in trees. They are mostly active at night or at dusk. Some live for 25 to 30 years.
This animal has been designed by the Lord God to serve a very special purpose. God has given it features that look unusual to us, but they are exactly right for what He designed it to do. As its name indicates, the anteater searches for and eats large numbers of ants and termites, serving a useful purpose by controlling the populations of these insects. They sometimes also eat spiders.
The anteater’s head, with its tiny ears and long, tapered snout, are its most outstanding features. Anteaters walk on their knuckles to keep their claws from getting dull. It has no teeth, but that long snout holds a foot-long, sticky tongue that whips out with lightning speed and reaches deep into the winding tunnels of ant nests for its dinner. It also uses its tongue to lick up any ants on the surface of the ground. It has dense, long fur that protects it from ant or termite bites. Since some anteaters live in trees, they also have prehensile tails, much like a monkey’s that can wrap around a branch.
Equipped with strong legs and sharp claws, the anteater defends itself well, and most animals know better than to attack it. However, the strong front claws are used primarily for ripping open ant and termite nests, where it soon wipes out the colony. Strong leg muscles also help it to roll over rocks where ants hide.
The anteater is not aware of it, but it depends upon God to direct it to its food. “The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou gives them their meat in due season” (Psalm 145:15). Are you aware that this is also true of you? “In God’s hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10).
How important it is to remember our dependence upon God. He not only has provided the way of salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, but He also prepares the hearts and souls of those who will trust in Him. Can you say, “We are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life” (1 John 5:20)?
Love you all
Grandpa
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