Post by Les Brewer on Oct 1, 2023 14:40:00 GMT
Elegant Design By: Jennifer Benson Schuldt
Click here for the Audio Message
God said . . . “Let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”
Genesis 1:20
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Genesis 1:14–23
An international research team has created a flapping-wing drone that mimics the movements of a particular bird—the swift. Swifts can fly up to ninety miles per hour and are able to hover, plunge, turn quickly and stop suddenly. The ornithopter drone, however, is still inferior to the bird. One researcher said birds “have multiple sets of muscles which enable them to fly incredibly fast, fold their wings, twist, open feather slots and save energy”. He admitted that his team’s efforts were still only able to replicate about “10 percent of biological flight”.
God has given the creatures in our world all kinds of amazing abilities. Observing them and reflecting on their know-how can be a source of wisdom for us. The ants teach us about gathering resources, badgers show us the value of dependable shelter and locusts teach us there’s strength in numbers (Proverbs 30:25–27).
The Bible tells us that “[God] founded the world by his wisdom” (Jeremiah 10:12), and at the end of each step in the creation process, He confirmed that what He’d done was “good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). The same God who created birds to “fly above the earth across the vault of the sky” (v. 20), has given us the ability to combine His wisdom with our own reasoning. Today, consider how you might learn from His elegant designs in the natural world.
Reflect & Pray
What part of God’s creation do you admire the most? How does it speak to you about God’s wisdom?
Dear Father, open my eyes to Your wisdom as I consider Your creation.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Genesis 1 describes the activity of God the Father (v. 1) and the Holy Spirit (v. 2) in the creation event. The New Testament makes it clear, however, that the second person of the Godhead—Jesus Christ—was also actively involved in bringing the universe into existence. John 1:3 tells us, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” Colossians 1:16 adds, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” And Jesus even now sustains the universe He created (v. 17)!
Bill Crowder
Genesis 1:14-23
King James Version
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
Click here for the Audio Message
God said . . . “Let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”
Genesis 1:20
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Genesis 1:14–23
An international research team has created a flapping-wing drone that mimics the movements of a particular bird—the swift. Swifts can fly up to ninety miles per hour and are able to hover, plunge, turn quickly and stop suddenly. The ornithopter drone, however, is still inferior to the bird. One researcher said birds “have multiple sets of muscles which enable them to fly incredibly fast, fold their wings, twist, open feather slots and save energy”. He admitted that his team’s efforts were still only able to replicate about “10 percent of biological flight”.
God has given the creatures in our world all kinds of amazing abilities. Observing them and reflecting on their know-how can be a source of wisdom for us. The ants teach us about gathering resources, badgers show us the value of dependable shelter and locusts teach us there’s strength in numbers (Proverbs 30:25–27).
The Bible tells us that “[God] founded the world by his wisdom” (Jeremiah 10:12), and at the end of each step in the creation process, He confirmed that what He’d done was “good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). The same God who created birds to “fly above the earth across the vault of the sky” (v. 20), has given us the ability to combine His wisdom with our own reasoning. Today, consider how you might learn from His elegant designs in the natural world.
Reflect & Pray
What part of God’s creation do you admire the most? How does it speak to you about God’s wisdom?
Dear Father, open my eyes to Your wisdom as I consider Your creation.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Genesis 1 describes the activity of God the Father (v. 1) and the Holy Spirit (v. 2) in the creation event. The New Testament makes it clear, however, that the second person of the Godhead—Jesus Christ—was also actively involved in bringing the universe into existence. John 1:3 tells us, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” Colossians 1:16 adds, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” And Jesus even now sustains the universe He created (v. 17)!
Bill Crowder
Genesis 1:14-23
King James Version
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
