In almost every place in the world (except in the Arctic and Antarctic) there are many varieties of lizards, iguanas, chameleons, geckos and others of their kind. In a previous article we considered the lizards and how the Creator cares for them. Now let's take a look at a few more closely-related ones, including the iguana, which makes its home where sunshine is abundant, particularly in desert areas.
While lizards are rather drab and plain looking, iguanas are often quite pretty. One is the Fijian crested, a resident of the Fiji islands. It is large, being three feet long with its tail representing more than half of that length. It is colored in shades of green, usually banded, having white stripes around its body and tail, with amber eyes and a yellow snout blending nicely. It has long, spidery "fingers" on the ends of each limb; the two center ones are about twice as long as the other three, but all are equipped with sharp claws to help in climbing the trees in which it makes its home. Like many other iguanas, this one eats mostly leaves and flowers, but it is also fond of crickets and other insects.
Another, the desert iguana, is much smaller and is a native of the American deserts. It can stand hotter temperatures than most others, partly because it is a night worker and is seldom outside during the day. It nests under fallen branches of Joshua trees and yucca plants. Desert country is, of course, usually barren except for the Joshuas, yuccas, cacti, sagebrush, and creosote bushes. It is from the creosote bush that this little fellow gets most of his food, climbing into the bush to eat its flowers and foliage. Along with a quantity of insects, this represents its food supply, and the Creator has given it a digestive system that takes the moisture from this food to satisfy its thirst in a land where no water may be found.
As we see how these obscure animals are provided for, we recall how the Psalmist was impressed with God's care over all His creatures, writing, "These wait all upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat [food] in due season." Psa. 104:2727These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. (Psalm 104:27). And also, "He giveth to the beast his food." Psa. 147:99He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. (Psalm 147:9).
Iguanas and lizards have no way of knowing their Creator is watching over them, but in the Bible we learn how much He loves and cares for every boy and girl. One such verse says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." James 1:1717Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17). Have you ever thanked Him for His many gifts and especially the gift of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be your Savior?
Iguanas Love the Heat
We have already mentioned the contrasting beauty of iguanas compared with lizards, to which they are related. But while many of them are quite pretty, there are some that look like miniature dragons and scare people who do not know they are harmless.
One, the twenty-pound sea iguana, is frightening in appearance. A good swimmer, it lives near ocean water, and its food is almost entirely limited to seaweed. Another that prefers the dry desert country of Costa Rica is just as fierce looking, carrying a spiked crest of flesh all along the top of its back and neck. It lacks the pretty coloring of so many others and has just a plain, speckled-gray, armor-like skin.
Then there is the horned iguana of Haiti, with three horn-like scales erect on its head and a row of comb-like, high bristles along its back and part of its tail. A bag of loose skin hanging below its neck, together with the other strange features, gives it a frightening appearance. Yet it would never harm you.
The best-known iguana has the awkward name of tuberculate and makes its home in South and Central America and the West Indies. This one looks like a fierce dragon, growing to five or six feet long. Greenish with black speckles over most of its body, it carries a saw-like crest over its neck and back. But it also is harmless and lives entirely on plants, buds and flowers.
Others, somewhat similar, live in trees, near rivers and lakes. Their usual diet consists of leaves, fruit and flowers, but some include insects and small birds as well. It would take many pages to describe all varieties, so we can only consider these few.
We may wonder what part these odd creatures have in God's creation, but we know He has placed them in each region to fill out His purposes. Among other things, we can see that in eating flowers and fruit, they carry seeds to spots where they eventually develop into additional plants to replace those that die out. Then, too, in eating insects they help control the damage the insects do to plant and animal life in those areas.
Though we may not understand, we know the Creator has adapted each to live comfortably in its surroundings, and they are part of His marvelous creation in which He takes pleasure. A Bible verse tells us, "Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made... the earth, and all things that are therein... and Thou preservest them all." Neh. 9:66Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee. (Nehemiah 9:6).
Those who know the Lord Jesus as their Savior can enjoy the Bible verses that tell us, "0 taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. O fear [reverence] the Lord, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him." Psa. 34:8,98O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. (Psalm 34:8‑9). Are you one of those who trusts in Him?