In spite of its frightful appearance, the Octopus is usually a very timid creature and will not attack a person unless he tries to go into its home. There are more than 150 varieties of them. Some are less than an inch long, others are 30 feet or more from tip to tip, but the ones most commonly seen are only about three feet across.
This odd citizen of the ocean has a plastic-like body with a large, dome-shaped head containing not only the brain, but also its stomach and other organs. These are covered by a membrane called a mantle. Behind its mouth and strong, parrot-type beak are huge, humanlike eyes. Eight snake-like tentacles stretch out from its body, each having on its underside a hundred or more suction cups. These suction cups look like buttons and hold whatever it takes hold of in a vise-like grip. Its eight tentacles also act as feet in moving on the ocean floor and as hands to pull it up over an underwater rock or cliff.
A large opening in the mantle is always moving, sucking water over its gills and out through a siphon. This siphon can be pointed in any direction to provide jet propulsion and also squirts inky fluid to make a “smoke screen” when pursued. Attached to its skin are little bags of pigment. When these bags are held open various colors are exposed, which the Octopus can change to appear striped, mottled or a solid color, whatever it chooses. In this way it takes on the color of its surroundings and is well camouflaged (hidden). How wonderfully the Creator has provided for its way of life deep in the ocean!
All in all, it is a very queer and rather terrible-looking creature, so its nickname “Devilfish” seems to fit it quite well. In spite of its fierce looks, it does have enemies, particularly squid, whales and big eels which attack its soft body. Because of this it hunts at night, and in the daytime it hides in a cave where it piles old shells and rocks by the entrance. When an enemy approaches, the Octopus jumps backwards into its cave, scooping up armloads of material from this pile to block the entrance after it is safe inside.
Do you think God sees these Octopuses down deep on the ocean floor? He certainly does. The Bible tells us: “Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters.” Psalms 77:1919Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known. (Psalm 77:19). God sees and cares for everything He has created (including you and me) and never takes His eye off them.
But He has a special care for mankind whom He has created “in His own image.” We are the only creatures invited to come to Him in faith. His Word assures us “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.” Nahum 1:77The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. (Nahum 1:7).
If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you may say, like the Apostle Paul did, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 3938For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38‑39).
ML-10/10/1982