“Who [knows] not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing.”
Job 12:9-10
There are countless beautiful and interesting animals living in the wild, rarely seen because much of their activity is at night or their homes are in places difficult to reach.
One of these is the marten, living in much of Canada, Alaska and other parts of the United States. Sometimes it is incorrectly referred to as a sable or fisher-marten, but it is somewhat different than these, although closely related. This animal’s soft fur is usually grayish-brown above and lighter below. In past years, hunters trapped them in winter months, when their fur is at its best quality, but this hunting is generally no longer permitted.
The marten is a slim, fur-covered mammal, about two feet long and looks similar to a weasel. It has a rather pointed face, with large ears and large, alert eyes - provisions of the Creator to enable it to identify sounds quickly and see well when hunting at night.
It is mostly at home in the trees where it can keep up with the liveliest squirrel or chipmunk. Part of its tree-food comes from eggs and small birds taken from nests, but it finds other food on the ground as well. This includes almost all small animals, such as squirrels and mice, snakes and ground birds. It has a “sweet tooth” and is not afraid to rob a beehive, since its thick fur protects it from bee stings. Unlike the fisher-marten, it will not go into deep water but does catch frogs and fish near the shore.
In late spring, the mother usually gives birth to two or three young in a den, usually made in a hollow log or a tree. The young are born with a light covering of soft fur and are extremely tiny, weighing only an ounce or so, but they are fully grown in three months. While growing, they are frisky and full of pep, often having harmless fights among themselves. Later that energy is spent in continual hunting for food or fighting other animals.
Though martens are rarely seen by people, they are always seen by their Creator who reminds us in Jeremiah 23:24, “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?” And this Creator, the Lord God, whose eyes are always on them, is the One who provides for them as well, for He cares for all His creatures.
How thankful we should be that He is also watching over each of us. The Bible assures us of this: “The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He [ponders] all his goings” (Proverbs 5:21). Is He pleased when He sees the ways of your life each day?
ML-05/25/2003