All Things Created Good

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31 ESV). Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD. By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. (Psalm 33:1-11 ESV). While I have had some question about the truth that everything God has created is good (like snakes – I hate ‘em), the Scripture clearly teaches that all of creation is a part of God’s good plan. And, the more we understand the complexity of nature, the more this truth is proven. As an example, look at the monarch butterfly. Like migratory birds, monarch butterflies have the ability to fly long distances, escaping winter cold and the absence of food. Decreasing day length and cooler temperatures tell monarchs that emerge in the early fall not to breed. Instead they begin the immense journey across North America, over unfamiliar terrain, funneling through Texas, to nine high mountain sites in fir forests of central Mexico. They arrive at the overwintering areas in November, remaining there until March of the following spring. Then they return to Texas and the southern United States to lay eggs on freshly sprouted milkweeds. By late spring, most have left the Gulf coastal states and are breeding further north. By the beginning of June they have reached the northern U.S. and Canada where they continue to breed all summer. Most interesting is the fact that they choose only the milkweed plant to lay their eggs on. The larvae when hatching will eat the plants and kill them, thus reducing the spread of this plant which is poisonous to cattle. It is all a part of God’s natural plan for His creation. Just as David reminded us in the psalm today, all of God’s creation is intended to be good and has order within it. God created a plan for everything. I have found great comfort in that truth in my life. When I begin to think that life is unraveling and panic begins to creep into my psyche I only need to recall the truth of God’s plan for me. I only need to trust Him. A tiny girl was taking a long journey and in the course of the day her train was obliged to cross a number of rivers. The water seen in advance always awakened doubts and fears in the child. She did not understand how it could safely be crossed. As they drew near the river, however, a bridge appeared, and furnished the way over. Several times the same thing happened, and finally the child leaned back with a long breath of relief and confidence: "Somebody has put bridges for us all the way!" she said in trusting content. That is how we find it in life, God has built bridges for us all the way. When you see the butterflies, remember the goodness of God’s plan and trust in Him. He will not disappoint you.