“The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. . . . He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered.”
Psalm 111:24
The Lord God had a definite purpose in creating hummingbirds. More important than their attractiveness is their work for certain types of flowering plants. It is amazing to see how God has placed at least one variety close by to meet the special needs of these flowers.
The bird, of course, thinks only of the sweet nectar in the flower, but if the plant could speak, it would no doubt be grateful each time the right hummer visits it. The bird’s long beak inserted into the flower becomes covered with pollen. It unknowingly carries the pollen to another plant of the same kind, accomplishing what is known as cross-pollination, which is necessary for the development of seeds. Bees, moths and a few other flying insects also help in cross-pollination, but the hummingbirds surpass them all.
Hummers’ beaks have been specially designed. Some are short and just right for flat flowers, like the half-inch beak of the purple and green thorn-bill. By contrast, the longest beak of all is that of the sword-bearer. It looks like a five-inch knitting needle and is the only beak that can reach the nectar deep in the Andes passion flower. If there were no sword-bearer hummingbirds, there would have been none of these plants after the first season, since nothing else can pollinate them.
The curved beaks of some hummers are interesting. Among these is one called Lucifer, noted for a black beard and dark wings on a beautiful body. Its long beak curves slightly downward just the right amount to reach into the flowers that have exactly the same curve in them. Another with a longer curved beak is the sickle-bill. And an unusual one whose beak curves upward is known as the mountain avocet. These are just a few of the more than four hundred varieties known in the Western Hemisphere. With the few we have been able to briefly look at, when you see one now, you will understand more fully the wisdom of the One who created them and looks on them with pleasure.
But also think of the even more marvelous ways our Creator God has provided for you. A Bible verse states what the psalmist wanted to see: “Open Thou [my] eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law” (Psalm 119:18).
Another verse tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). Do you read the Bible? Have you ever thanked the Lord Jesus for giving it to you, so you can know of His love and learn to trust Him as your Saviour? Or does the last part of the verse describe you?
ML-08/14/2005