Just Because He Could

“And God said, ‘Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.’ So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.’ 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.

And God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.’ And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:20-25 NIV)

After Christmas, my wife and I spent five days camping with some of her family in Kruger National Park, the largest park in South Africa. It is home to many of the exotic animals that draw millions of people to zoos—lions, elephants, rhinoceros, giraffes, and hippopotamuses. And we had the privilege of seeing all of those and many more, such as a leopard, hyenas, cape buffalo, zebra, and a plethora of various types of deer, such as impala and kudu.  

What struck us was the immense variety of species, all unique and, if we really think about it, quite unusual. Just take a look at these various animals:                     

Seriously, what is the point of the various physical attributes of these animals? Sure, scientists can come up with some reasons, but who of us could possibly come up with these designs without any references, none?

They came from the mind of the Creator and He created them, first, just because He could and out of His own delight. And, second, for us to be able to share in the fruits of that power and delight. 

Being in Kruger and seeing so many animals in their natural habitat was indeed a delight. To see an elephant stride and flap its humongous ears, to see rhinos, hippos, and cape buffalo grazing nonchalantly because of their immense strength, to see zebra with their bizarre and visually radiating stripes, and the water bucks with their hairy necks and what looked like a target painted on their rears, all provided delight to us.

For me, those five days were a reminder of the awesome power of God and His deep love for us, His ultimate creation. He created everything originally for our enjoyment (I Timothy 6:17) and it still exists for that purpose. 

Today, although most of us do not live in areas with the exotic animals that draw us to zoos, we all can just look around every day and marvel at what the Lord has created for no other reason than that He could and wanted to. And He intends for us to be the beneficiaries of all of it—to bring delight to our eyes and joy and wonder into our hearts.

© Jim Musser 2018