The woodchuck is the same as the groundhog, and his home is a hole in the ground. When he comes out of his hole in Springtime, he is very thin. He has not eaten for a long time, so he gets busy eating and getting fat right away. He likes many different things—roots, twigs, grass, buds, berries, nuts, fruit and insects.
Some animals that rest during the winter store food away in their secret homes, but not the woodchuck. He stores food away inside himself to use in the winter. He eats and eats all summer. He gets fatter and fatter. When the cold weather comes, he feels lazy, and he gets sleepy. He goes into his hole deep in the ground, and goes to sleep.
The woodchuck sleeps for many weeks. He doesn’t know how cold it is. He cannot feel anything because his heart beats slowly, and he scarcely breathes. Nothing except the warmth of the sun can wake him up.
When Springtime comes and the ground starts to warm up, the woodchuck begins to breath deeply. His heart beats faster. His muscles are no longer stiff. Soon he wakes up. He wants to stretch and move around. He wants to see things so he comes out of his hole. He sits up on his hind legs and blinks at the light and wiggles his little black nose. When the woodchuck comes out of his hole to stay, we know spring is come.
God made the little woodchuck, and He loves all the little creatures that He has made. He provides for them, and though they suffer and die because of man’s sin, the day is coming when, because of the work of redemption the Lord Jesus wrought upon the cross, all creation will be set free and brought into the liberty of the glory of the children of God.
But most of all God loves boys and girls, and people; and Jesus died not only to redeem them, but to fit them for heaven. The little woodchuck will enjoy earthly blessing, but sinners saved by grace will be like Jesus and be with Him in heaven above forever.
ML-07/10/1977