Glory in Creation

​As we pulled into the parking area of the Newtown Township park on Rt. 413, memories of childhood visits to Stone Harbor, New Jersey flooded my mind.  A distinctive smell of salt water was present from the marshes along the waterways at the entrance to the resort.  The marshes are prime territory for unique types of birds.  In particular, I remember seeing red-winged blackbirds flitting between the cattails in the marshes.  Our Newtown park has fresh-water marshes that are thick with cattails and the home of a small flock of red-winged blackbirds.  To quote a web site on blackbirds:  "A cattail marsh is the quintessential red-winged blackbird habitat."  We were greeted by several male birds that flew from a small oak tree to a perch at the top of the cattails.  When the male sings he expands his wings so that one can see his entire brilliant, red and yellow shoulder area.  In this way, he shows off to the females. Females stay out of sight as much as possible, especially during nesting season.  Their bodies look somewhat like a sparrow with heavily streaked brown.  Their cone-shaped bills have short yellow feathers around them, and above their eyes is a patch of white.
 
Female red-winged blackbirds try to remain at the base of the vegetation where they can find insects and seeds to feed on and to guard their nests.  However, if a larger bird or human comes too close to the marsh, both male and female come to the top of the cattails to protest loudly.  The birds' nests are weaved together of grass, reeds, and leaves.  After they are completed, the birds attached their nests to standing vegetation.   They have two or three broods a season, each with three to four eggs that are incubated by the female.  The young stay in the nest for 11 to 14 days while both parents feed them.
 
Watching the blackbirds in their favorite habitat, I began to think about all the creatures on the earth and the multitude of unique ecosystems that the Lord created.  In the seven days of creation written about in Genesis, we read that God made a myriad of land forms, water bodies and vegetation and then filled the earth with a plethora of birds, fish, sea creatures, and animals.  It is obvious that God loves diversity and variety and provides a perfect environment for every creature on the earth.  A place called the Garden of Eden was created by God for mankind, who was made in His image.  "In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them." (Genesis 1:27)  God created man with a mission. "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."  (Genesis 2:15)
 
Although Adam and Eve had to be taken from the Garden because of their sin, God's plans for mankind moved forward.  "From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.  God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us.  For in Him we live and move and have our being." (Acts 17:26-28) God has created everyone and everything uniquely for a special purpose and all of this was done out of love.  "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
 
God declares that "His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made..." (Romans 1:20)  When we take time to look and see God's handiwork, can there be any doubt that His glory is visible in all creation?  In the book of Nehemiah, we are told how the Levites led the Israelites in adoration of the Lord.  "Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.  Blessed be your glorious name...You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship You." (Nehemiah 9:5-6)  Psalm 104 is a declaration of praise to God for all He has created.  I want to make the end of this psalm my declaration and hope that you will join me in this.  "May God's glorious splendor endure forever!  May the Lord take joy and pleasure in all that He has made...I will sing my song to the Lord as long as I live!  Every day I will sing my praises to God.  May you be pleased with every sweet thought I have about You, for You are the source of my joy and gladness...I will keep on praising You, my Lord, with all that is within me.  My joyous, blissful shouts of 'Hallelujah' are all because of You!" (Psalm 104:31-35 - TPT)