The dragon fly is a common sight in the summer near water or swampy areas. It is fierce looking, and might even appear a little frightening, but actually it is harmless and another example of God’s wonderful handiwork.
It has four strong, but delicate-looking wings. Since the day of creation it has been able to dart through the air swifter than most birds, with its wings vibrating 1500 times per minute. It can outperform the most expensive helicopter in hovering, flying forward or backward, up or down, or rapidly changing directions. Unlike most insects, the dragon fly’s large head can easily turn to help it spot insects which it eats while flying. The outstanding thing about the dragon fly is its enormous, compound eyes which protrude from its head. Each eye has approximately 30,000 lenses, giving it excellent vision. It can see ahead, behind, above and below all at the same time!
The dragon fly (sometimes called the Devil’s Darning Needle) starts its life as a nymph in the bottom of a stream or pond, usually where there are many rocks and water plants. It creeps along the bottom seeking food, and will eat most anything that moves, including mosquito wrigglers, tiny minnows and tadpoles. It moves very slowly, but can spurt water through its body in a “jet-propulsion” manner, giving it extra speed in an emergency. Most larvae stay under water one or two years, but some remain in that form up to five years.
When ready for adult change, it creeps out of the water at the shoreline and becomes an air breather for the first time. Resting in the warm sun, its skin splits open and a new creature comes forth—no longer an ugly nymph, but a fully-developed dragon fly. Its wings soon appear but a few hours are necessary for them to harden while it remains helpless and a tempting meal for some birds.
Finally it takes to the air, without having had lessons or trial flights. Traveling through the air at rapid speeds, its legs form a scoop-like net in which it pins its victims and transfers them to its strong jaws. Its appetite is huge, eating its own weight in half an hour or so when food is available. It prefers mosquitoes and so is a real help to us.
From the smallest microbe to the great whales, the Creator, the Lord God of heaven and earth, is always aware of the needs of each one. It is written: “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” Acts 15:1818Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. (Acts 15:18).
There are those who teach that life “just happened,” and that it took millions of years for living things to reach their present condition. Such teaching is false and wicked. It denies that God made everything to reproduce “after his kind.” Scripture warns: “Put not your trust in... man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to (the) earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” Then the Bible goes on to say: “Happy is he... whose hope is in the Lord his God: which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is.” Psalms 146:5,65Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: 6Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: (Psalm 146:5‑6). Do you know this happiness through faith in Him?
ML-01/11/1981