“He [God] saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth. . . . Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.”
Job 37:68
Many of God’s creatures live in areas that have cold winters, and He has provided them with special ways to survive. Some migrate to warmer places, but an amazing number live year-round in the areas which the Creator has provided for them. It is, of course, His provision for their special needs in the freezing temperatures that enables them to survive through the winter months. These creatures include a great variety of birds, animals, insects, fish, seals, whales, dolphins and others.
Often a rocky cave in a hillside, soon to be buried in deep snow, is used by bears year after year, and other creatures know well enough not to try to occupy it. In fact, in many areas all bears go into hibernation on the same day, with their spots selected well in advance.
How do they know to prepare for winter? It is all through God-given instincts, including not only preparing a place beforehand, but of even more importance, by eating extra quantities of food in the fall. The increase in weight is mostly fat and helps to keep them warm as well as nourishing their bodies while they are hibernating.
Surprisingly, it is during hibernation in the darkness of a cave that a mother bear usually gives birth to two little cubs. In spite of the darkness, they promptly find a ready milk supply from their sleepy mother who goes right back to sleep after she nurses them. These cubs are no bigger than small kittens. It is one of the marvels of God’s creation that they can survive in the darkness. They know just where to feed when they are hungry and then snuggle up to their mother’s warm body until the next feeding time.
Deer, elk and caribou do not hibernate, even in extremely cold places. In the fall months they build themselves up with heavy eating, which not only provides fat for warmth but also causes their specially insulated hair to grow thick to provide a heavy overcoat for cold weather. They search daily for grass, leaves and other vegetation, even in snowstorms. They have to paw through the snow with their sharp, strong hoofs to uncover much of what they eat.
These are typical examples of the Creator’s care. Psalm 36:67 tells us, “O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings.”
Have you thanked Him for His loving-kindness to you and placed your trust in Him? Always remember that “it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:88It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. (Psalm 118:8)).
(to be continued)
ML-11/27/2005