The Wonders of God’s Creation
“Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou host made... the earth, and all things that are therein.” Nehemiah 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).
The snow leopard, also called the ounce, is a rare member of the leopard family and is one of the world’s most beautiful animals. A full-grown one will be two and a half feet tall at shoulder height and some six feet long, including its two-foot furry tail. Its weight will be from 100 to 150 pounds. Since it often lives more than a mile high on cold mountainsides of Tibet and a few other Asian places, the Creator has given it a coat much thicker than the leopards of warmer climates.
Its long white fur, overlaid with soft gray, and with deep black spots over most of its body (on some these markings are a variety of black-circled orange shapes), remains plain white on the chin, chest and stomach. Along with yellow eyes, circled with a ribbon of deep black fur, it has small ears and a face like that of a house cat — a very pretty picture. Just like your pet kitten when calm and relaxed, its sharp claws are not visible, but when its paw reaches out to strike, the claws become fierce weapons ready for action.
Blending in so well with its surroundings, mountain climbers might walk near one, sitting on its haunches and quietly looking at them, and be entirely unaware of its presence. This animal’s food is made up of antelope, deer, mountain goats, smaller animals, pheasants and other birds. When these are not available it may raid a farmyard for sheep and calves, but it has never been known to harm people.
A mother trains her kittens to catch prey by lying on the ground and gently switching her tail from side to side. The kittens try to pounce on it, but just as they pounce she gives a quick jerk and they are left empty-handed (or should we say empty-pawed?). Eventually their reflexes become sharper and they are able to use this needed skill when hunting for food.
These lovely animals instinctively hide among the rocks and snow where they live, because the coloring of their fur conceals them so well. But there is One who is well aware of them at all times, as the Bible verse tells us: “For He looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven.” Job 28:2424For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven; (Job 28:24). In other parts of the Bible we also read that He is the provider and protector of all His creatures.
Perhaps you are familiar with another verse that tells us: “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:33The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3). What do His eyes see in you?
ML-04/23/1989