Intricate Creation, Magnificent God

By Carin LeRoy –

Recently my family and I went to the Florida Aquarium. It was inspiring to see the many underwater creatures, but that day I was fascinated with the sea horses. One in particular caught my attention, the leafy sea dragon.  He was camouflaged to look like a plant floating around. As I watched him in the tank, I was amazed at God’s creative design, and amused by His ability to make a living thing look like a plant to help protect it from prey.

From snow-capped mountains to a majestic waterfall to a newborn baby, we see His handiwork.  The intricacies of His artistic skills are everywhere. A delicate flower with its tiny petals, stamen and colors all beautifully woven together create an exquisite work of art. The vastness of the oceans with myriads of creatures swimming in its depths causes us to wonder all they contain.

God has a great sense of humor in many of His creations. My polka dot plant with its pink spots, the giraffe with his long neck, the zebra with his stripes, or the prickly porcupine with its quills protruding are a few that make me smile. Who would have ever thought to make a cuddly-looking skunk with the ability to spray stink for ten feet? Or a turtle that carries his home on his back that retreats into it when threatened?  The platypus is another unlikely creature. He is a semi-aquatic mammal that lays eggs and looks like the mixture between a duck, a beaver and an otter.

God gives evidence of His presence. Everywhere we look we see His hand. I often wonder how people can ignore the presence of a living God when He has left His fingerprints in every corner of our world. Just as His word says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1 NIV).  As we go through the day, let’s remember that God is worthy of our honor and praise. The same mighty God that created all these living things is the same God that has power to work in your life today. Let’s worship Him by giving Him the praise He deserves.

PRAYER:  Lord, when I look at Your creation and all Your intricate designs, I am in awe of Your power, for You are great and mighty. Thank You that I am Your child, and You created me to reflect Your glory. Help me, today, to give You the honor You deserve.

“How many are Your works, O Lord! In wisdom You made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number – living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which You formed to frolic there. These all look to You to give them their food at the proper time. When You give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things” (Psalm 104: 24-28 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Carin LeRoy, wife to Dale, mother of three grown children and one high school teenager. She has served as a missionary with PIONEERS since 1982. Her passions are family, playing and teaching piano, missions, and writing stories that show glimpses of God.

Rooted in Christ

By Carin LeRoy –

For years I grew African Violets, collecting them in every color—pink, violet, lavender and purple. I loved seeing their tiny delicate flowers bloom. Because African Violets are fussy plants, it took time for me to learn how to encourage good growth. They need constant care. Too much water rots their roots, while too little makes them wither and die. Bump them, and you break their brittle stems. The right amount of filtered light helps them flourish, and they like a constant temperature range—not too hot or cold. The right amount of fertilizer encourages dark leaves while too much burns them.

One day I wondered what caused the difference between two of my plants. I found that the plant that had copious blooms was root-bound. The one without many blossoms wasn’t. Plenty of dirt and the plant became comfortable. Without a strong root system it didn’t have the ability to provide generous flowers. But when the roots were squeezed tightly in the pot, the result was a bountiful, colorful display.

That reminds me of our lives as Christians. When life is easy, we tend to coast through life. Others might not see much growth in our spiritual walk. When life is hard, we have a need to rely on God to get us through. When we feel squeezed with the pressure of hard times, God has the ability to teach and prune us. He begins to develop strong roots of faith in our life as we learn to trust Him. When those lessons are learned, we bloom. Others begin to see the beauty of change in our lives.

I believe God allows hard times because we may not learn the lessons He has for us any other way. It is during those difficulties that we become pliable and willing to learn and change. Just as I cared for my African Violets to encourage their flowers, God lovingly cares for us. He desires us to bloom and become a sweet fragrance for Christ. He wants us to bear fruit for Him. If you are facing a difficulty, let it be a time when God can grow strong roots of faith in your heart. Trust Him. Soon you will see beautiful blooms of growth in your life.

PRAYER: Lord, give me strong roots of faith in my heart as I learn to trust You through hard times. Keep me mindful that You are working in my life to help me grow and bear fruit for You.

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3: 17-19 NET).

Today’s devotional is by Carin LeRoy, wife to Dale and mother of three grown children and one almost-grown teenager. She has been a missionary with Pioneers since 1982. Her passions are family, missions, piano, and writing to challenge others to live faithful lives for God.

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