"For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth... all things were created by Him, and for Him." Col. 1:1616For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16)
If you were on a Caribbean island beach some dark night in early spring or late summer, you might become aware of a number of large creatures coming out of the surf. They drag themselves with much effort over the sand, up and up, until they arrive beyond the highest tidewater point. Curious to know what was taking place, you would (with the aid of a light) find these to be female loggerhead turtles. Each of these brownish-green turtles weighs close to 500 pounds (not as large as the leatherbacks, which weigh up to a ton).
You would find her busily scooping sand with her flippers, making a hole about seven inches wide and almost two feet deep. After an hour of this tiresome work she will rest awhile, then place herself over this nest and proceed to lay her eggs. The eggs will be laid, one by one, every few seconds. They look like ping-pong balls. Usually between one and two hundred are deposited.
After she had finished you would see her scooping the sand back into the hole and patting it dawn firmly. She scatters the excess sand over the area, making it so natural looking that no one would suspect there was a nest below. All this time, looking closely, you might think she is crying, since there are tears running from her eyes. The fact is that this is nature's way of washing out the sand that gets in them. When the job is complete she returns to the sea, soon disappearing in the waves.
In about two months the little ones hatch out. Before hatching, each baby turtle develops an "egg tooth" on the end of its nose. This is used to break out of the shell. It might seem they would die in their deep nest, but they work their way to the surface, which might take several days. As the baby turtles come to the surface, they run as fast as they can toward the ocean. Since they are only about the size of a silver dollar they must run fast, because there are many other creatures waiting to eat them. Birds, crabs, rats and other enemies take after them, and very few• of these baby turtles make it across the beach. In the water there are sharks, fish of all kinds and more birds. Perhaps only half a dozen out of the whole nest manage to survive: In five to eight years they have reached full size. Then they are safe from natural enemies and' live to a ripe old age.
Our lives are not as full of danger as these creatures' lives are. God has graciously provided many benefits for each of us and cares for us most lovingly. He knows all our needs and our activities, too. It is written in the Bible: "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee." Eccl. 11:99Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9). This is followed by the instruction: "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not." Eccl. 12:11Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; (Ecclesiastes 12:1). What excellent God-given advice this is for us to follow!