Jewel # 411 (July 31, 2020)

 

"And 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 Lively Tarsier

“Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.”  Act 15:18

The alert and lively tarsier lives in the East Indies and the Philippines.  It is small, ranging from 10 to 15 inches long, including its long, thin tail.  Living in trees, it uses this tail as an extra support when clinging to a branch and also to help keep its balance when leaping from tree to tree.  Its fur is brownish-gray except around its mouth, chin, nose and between the eyes, where it is usually yellow or light orange.

Seen face-on, it is an amusing and lovable little creature.  Its eyes look like a big pair of goggles, and the spread of its mouth is a pleasant grin.  A button nose sits above its small mouth and chin, and its rather large ears stand rigidly erect.  This long- legged little fellow belongs to the primate family and is about the size of a large squirrel.  The second and third toe on each of its hind feet have sharp, long claws, and both front feet and hind feet are cushioned underneath with none-skid ridges.  These help it to get a good grip on tree trunks and branches.  Incidentally, its long, hind legs help make it a champion jumper among animals its size; it can leap as high as four feet and as far as six feet in distance.

One outstanding feature is the tarsier’s large, owl-like eyes, which are close together.  The pupils are about three times as large as those of other animals its size and are surrounded by dark rings.  These eyes are, in many ways, its most valuable possession, for it is a night worker.  The Creator has wisely provided it with most remarkable vision to help in its nighttime search for insects, snakes and small lizards, which make up its diet.

In addition to good eyesight, the tarsier’s head can turn around so far that it can see behind itself without moving its body.  The Creator also gave it very sensitive hearing.  Its large ears can twist individually in various directions—one this way and the other that way—when trying to identify a sound.  As for itself, it moves quietly through the darkness and, wherever possible, keeps well hidden among tree leaves.

The Bible tells us to be glad and rejoice in that which God has created.  The more our attention is drawn to the wonders of His creation, including these little tarsiers, the more we are impressed with the truth of the opening bible verse.  It is good to think about this as we see the various forms of life all around us, for each represents a part of God’s creation.  How happy we can be to know Him, not only as our Creator, but more importantly as our Saviour too.

Love you all - Grandpa     

Jewel # 410 (July 22, 2020)

And 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

Lonesome Kakapos

“God created . . . every winged fowl after his kind. . . . And God blessed them, saying . . .  let fowl multiply in the earth.”   Genesis 1:21-22

The Kakapos of New Zealand are heavy birds, weighing up to six pounds.  They cannot fly, they make nests in holes dug in the ground, and they feed mostly on seeds of plants.  These birds are related to parrots, and because they do most of their feeding at night, they are also called the owl parrot.   

Their enemies include dogs, rats, cats and other animals, as well as hunters who not only collect their pretty olive-coloured feathers, but consider them a nice addition to the dinner table. 

The Kakapo’s call is unusual.  Wanting to attract a mate, a male fills his breast with air, and after a bob or two of his head, lets out a loud booming call, very much like someone blowing a blast of air across the top of a large bottle. 

According to a recent article there are only 147 kakapos left in the world.  Years ago, well-meaning people imported some new animals that promptly found the Kakapos very tasty and have continued to kill them ever since.  As a result, when a male bird tries to attract a female with his booming call, there are seldom any answers.  Because of increasing scarcity, few nests now have eggs in them or little ones to take over when the older ones will all be gone.

Strangely, although this unusual bird has fairly large wings, it only uses them in an extreme emergency.  Explorers visiting their area reported that walking through a forest they suddenly saw a big kakapo perched high in a tree.  As they tried to get close to it, it spotted them.  Instead of flying away, as other birds would do, it dropped to the ground, never once opening its wings to break the fall, and then scooted off on foot through the brush.

It is interesting that since these birds do not use their wings, the only way they can get up into a tree is to claw their way up the trunk, using their strong toes and beaks to get from branch to branch. 

The Creator included these beautiful birds in the vast number of other kinds and instructed, “Let fowl multiply in the earth.”  He not only created them, but He also provided ample food and nesting places for them as well.

We can see how most bird species have multiplied in abundance over the centuries.  However, because of man’s carelessness, some, like this lovely bird, seem destined to completely disappear before long.  Let’s always do what we can to protect birds and other creatures that were put on the earth so long ago and that the Creator looks upon with pleasure.  The Bible really tells us to do this in Isaiah 65:18: “Be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create.”      

Love you all - Grandpa   

Jewel # 409 (July 11, 2020)

And 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 Twinkling Firefly

“Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.”  Acts 15:18

The firefly is a beetle that is fascinating to all of us.  Seeing their little lights flashing on for a second or two on warm summer evenings is an interesting experience.  They are also sometimes called lightning bugs.  Many children like to catch some in a jar, so they can watch them up close as they turn their lights on and off.  In some tropical areas, there are large firefly species, and people keep them in bottles to use for light.

Scientists would like to duplicate this kind of heatless light,  because it is much more efficient than electricity.  They know how the light is produced, but the chemical reactions, one set to turn on the light and another set to turn off the light, are so complex that man has not been able to use them.  We should not be surprised at this, because it is a very special reaction created for these insects by God their Creator.

The firefly begins life in the ground; even its eggs have a glow to them.  Before it is ready to fly, it develops into a glowworm.  You may have seen these shining as they crawl around looking for food.

There is another illuminated insect found in some caves in New Zealand.  This little fly, while still in the worm stage, gathers in groups of several thousand on the ceilings of caves and glows in the darkness.  After attaching itself to the roof of the cave, a two-foot-long string drops from its mouth with small, sticky balls on it.  It waits in the darkness with its taillight glowing, until it feels a victim struggling to get loose from one of the sticky balls.  Pulling it up, it eats the victim along with the string.  Then it lets down a new string.

There are over 500,000 species of insects  throughout the world, and God has made each one different.  This variety speaks of His handiwork and never-tiring care over them.  All these little creatures, as we see them today, are the same as they were the day they were created thousands of years ago.  God designed each one to reproduce after its kind.  Furthermore, they always obey His laws without question, and by doing so, every need is provided for.

These lighted creatures remind us that the Lord Jesus was announced as the true light of the world.  God has given His people a special kind of light that He also wants displayed.  His Word, the Bible, says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). 

It is only when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour by faith that He brings us “out of darkness into His marvellous light” (1Peter 2:9).  Then we can please Him in our activities and shine out for Him. 

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 408 (July 5, 2020)

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when when I make up MY JEWELS.”

Malachi 3:17

To my dear grandchildren

The Bald Eagle

A great eagle with great wings, long-winged . . . took the highest branch of the cedar.”  Ezekiel 17:3

Many people consider the bald eagle to be the most beautiful and impressive of all birds.  Fully grown, it stands three feet high, weighs about ten pounds, and has a wingspan of six to eight feet.  A mature eagle has a dark-brown body with white feathers on its head, neck and tail.  Its eyes, sharp-hooked beak and legs are bright yellow.

The Creator designed this bird for its special place in His creation.  It has exceptional beauty, whether sitting in a tree or circling high in the air.  Its eyes can spot a mouse a mile away or a fish far below.  Its main food is fish, but it also eats mice, gophers, rabbits, snakes, birds and dead animals.  Spotting prey, it may circle down swiftly or make a direct dive at a speed of 100 miles per hour, stopping suddenly as its curved talons grab its victim.

Spotting an osprey or fish hawk flying with a fish, an eagle may swoop down and frighten it into dropping its food.  Then the eagle dives down and catches the prize for itself.  Often while looking for food, it will perch on a dead tree high on a bluff, just as they did in Bible days when the Lord asked Job,”Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on hight?  She dwelleth and abideth on . . . the strong place.  From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off” (Job 39:27-29).

Eagles keep the same mate for life.  Their nest, called an aerie, is usually in the top of a high tree near water.  They use the same aerie every year and add new material to it, so many old aeries are as large as 20 feet deep and 9 feet across.  Only one or two white eggs are laid each year and take about 40 days to hatch.

The eaglets live on food brought to them by their parents.  If both eaglets are healthy, they gain strength by playing tug-of-war with sticks or having little battles.  They first learn to fly by hovering over the nest, but when 11 or 12 weeks old, they leave the nest.  If one is afraid to fly, the mother may push it out, then swoop below and allow it to rest on her back when it gets tired.  The Lord spoke of this concerning His people Israel: “As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth then on her wings: so the Lord alone did lead them” (Deuteronomy 32:11-12).

Another Bible verse says, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles” (Isaiah 40:31). 

 If the Lord Jesus Christ is your Saviour, you will find Him always able and willing to give you the strength needed for your Christian life. 

Love you all - Grandpa    

Jewel # 407 (July 1, 2020)

 

And 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

A Ferocious Caterpillar

“God made . . . everything that crept upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”  Genesis 1:25  

Caterpillars are usually considered a pest in gardens, and they can be quite destructive.  On the island of Hawaii there are several species of one known as a “fighter caterpillar.”  It comes equipped with sharp claws and strong jaws, making its meals out of insects flying or crawling within its reach.  These caterpillars are only about an inch long and are camouflaged to look like a coloured leaf or a twig on which they are waiting.  From there they quickly reach out to catch their prey.

Examined closely, they resemble a miniature, spike-covered golden fist with six fingers, each of which is equipped with a needle-like spear.  They reach out so fast with these that if a person is not watching closely, he will miss the action and wonder how that insect ever got into the caterpillar’s claw.

These well-armoured creatures are the larvae of an unusual Hawaiian butterfly which lays eggs on leaves, two or three at a time, where they hatch out looking like little worms.  These larvae go through some molting stages, finally spinning cocoons around their bodies and later emerging  as pretty butterflies.  It is before the cocoon is formed that this vicious way of life takes place.

While in the larval stage, they are sometimes referred to as “earth measurers,” because of their looping way of moving about, like some other caterpillars do.  To do this, with their hind legs they first firmly grasp the surface on which they lie, then stretch out full length before changing the grip from back to front.  The back then moves forward in a horseshoe-like loop, gets another grip on the surface and the process is repeated over and over.  If an insect gets in the way, it is either eaten or knocked out of the way with the “looper’s” tough head.

At times, instead of going forward, one will move down to a lower spot by anchoring a spider-like thread, which it ejects at the starting point, and then dropping away, it ejects as much thread as is needed to reach the desired spot.  Then it resumes activity in a normal way.

We might wonder why the Creator made such awkward bits of life, but they have a definite place as part of His creation.  Caterpillars are always mentioned in the Bible in connection with God’s judgment against evil.  This is a solemn reminder that, in a future day, those who have not accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will be brought into terrible judgment.

However, those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour will never face that judgment, because they have trusted the only One who could and did bear that judgement for them.  His promise to these is eternal life in the splendours of heaven.

Which group are you in?  

Love you all - Grandpa