In many rocky and high areas of Australia and New Guinea lives an odd animal called an echidna or spiny anteater winch is about 18 inches long. Its roly-poly body is covered with sharp quills, almost hiding its black fur and making it look like a porcupine, which it is sometimes mistakenly called.
Its eyes are small, and it apparently has no ears and not much of a brain either. Its bare snout has a narrow mouth, but instead of teeth a long tongue with ridges on it crushes its prey. It is a slow animal that hunts at night and hides in the daytime. The only time it is not slow is when escaping enemies that would like to make a meal of it — which they can only do if they are able to get at its unprotected throat or stomach. When pursued, its rough, sharp claws rapidly dig a hole deep enough to get its head and legs into. It is not at all concerned about the rest of its body which is covered with needle-like quills, for no animal wants to get any of these in its mouth or paws. If there is not time to dig a hole, then it curls up in a ball, tucking its bare spots safely under the quills. If there is not time even to do this, then it fights with its sharp claws. Because of these instincts and safeguards provided by the Creator, an echidna is seldom captured.
There are two kinds — the long-nosed and the short-nosed. Except for this difference they are much the same, their snouts, short or long, searching through the soil, in rotten logs, or inside termite mounds for food. The short-nosed echidna hunts mostly termites, ants and other insects, but the long-nosed prefers worms of various kinds. Its longer tongue has tiny hooks on it that firmly hold onto its prey.
The mother echidna has a kangaroo-like pouch on her stomach in which, once a year, an egg is laid. When the baby hatches, the pouch becomes its home. But when only a few weeks old its barbs begin to grow, and the mother, finding this uncomfortable, puts it outside where it learns the ways of scaly anteater living.
These animals seem very strange to us, but they are part of the wonderful creation of His of whom our opening verse speaks. David, the Psalmist, in his writings often speaks of the wonders of God’s creation and gives Him thanks, as in these verses: “I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary [place of worship]; who is so great a God as our God?” Psalms 77:11-1311I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 12I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. 13Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? (Psalm 77:11‑13).
How good it is for each of us to have these same thoughts and to thank and praise the Lord God for all His care and love for us. We should especially thank Him for the love that has provided a Saviour for all who will put their trust in Him. Have you done this?
ML-05/11/1986