In mid-winter it’s hard to believe that spring is right around the corner or that summer’s explosion of color will be upon us shortly thereafter. But a quick journey through my summer photos while looking for butterflies yielded the abundance that characterizes that time of year. We just need to hold on and believe that hidden inside every tree and under the cold earth the beginnings of spring are awaiting their signal.
We don’t know exactly what that signal is. Some say it’s the warming temperature and longer days. Certainly those two events help to bring about the movement of liquids within the plant systems. But do we really know how this happens? Clearly there is a biological clock built into all living creatures. Birds and butterflies know when to migrate. Animals hibernating arise from their slumbers. Plants know when to begin to push up from the soil. Trees begin to move liquid within their minute transportation systems. Buds on the trees begin to swell, all in a rhythm of life that is written within. We know these instructions are hidden within the DNA of all living things. But do we really appreciate that every living thing has an intricate and detailed set of instructions? If that doesn’t argue for intelligent design, nothing does.
As I look at the landscape, the skeletons of last summer’s wildflowers are still rakishly standing. It’s hard to believe that in two months seeds that fell to the ground will start sprouting and another cycle of new growth will begin. Some of them, such as the wild sunflower, I patiently waited all summer for their blooms. They grew to be six feet tall before they popped out their sunny faces. The ragweed that lines the path grew upwards of fifteen feet before it set out its sneezy blossoms. Both plants bloomed for several weeks and then started making seedpods for the next year.
Somewhere inside, the plant received a message to go from pouring its energy into flowers to creating seeds to ensure its reproduction. God created each plant to produce seeds of its own kind or have fruit with seeds that ensure reproduction. So even though the scenery looks barren, hidden microscopically inside every seed that fell to the ground is the spark of DNA instructions that are readying themselves to give us great joy. Such a miracle of life hidden beyond most of our vision (except those scientists with electron microscopes).
These thoughts made me ponder what else God hides in plain sight. Certainly the rain inside the clouds, the thunder and lightening of storms come to mind. Then there is the illusive wind. Scripture says: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.” (John 3:8) The sunbeams that strike my face have a clear origin. But how the sun got that ability to brighten the light and warm the day is quite illusive.
Every human has hidden within the necessary instructions to create and reproduce. We know that God created mankind. The scripture is precious. God says: “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:16) That means that every fertilized egg that takes its place in a woman’s womb, God has already seen its full creation even before it begins life. He saw you and me before we were ever born, before we started life in the womb. How wonderful is that?
So the next time you are out walking somewhere, contemplate all the hidden wonders that God has placed before you. Then marvel at His creativity and love.
“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
John 12:24
