THE CHILDREN'S NATURE STUDY

We have a definite word from the Lord Jesus to observe with attention the lilies of the field and the birds of the heaven. In this way He illustrated His teaching that we should be dependent on our heavenly Father for everything. The flowers and even the many varieties of grass have their particular clothing without any effort of their own, while the birds are provided with food that they have no part in growing. In fact the ravens, which are so 'ravenous' that they are said sometimes even to eat their own young, once had enough food to spare so as to fly with two good meals a day for the prophet Elijah.

These facts and much else in the Bible prove the interest that the Creator takes in His own handiwork. You will remember, too, that He asked Job if it was he who guided the large group of seven bright stars called the Great Bear, or the Plough. This refers to the fact that this constellation, as it is called, makes a circuit round the Pole Star once in 24 hours. In Bible lands and in Europe the stars can be seen in some part of the sky at all seasons on any clear night.

In all these examples of nature study the purpose is to direct our thoughts beyond the created things to God Himself in the varied ways in which He has been made known. Even people who have never heard the glad tidings of Jesus and His love should believe in God as Creator because of the glory of His works. In ancient times no doubt children as well as men and women like Abraham and Sarah knew Him as the Almighty One yet ever ready to befriend them and enjoy their company. Later those to whom the perfect law came through Moses served God as revealed in the holy yet merciful name of Jehovah. It is of interest that this law applied to a large and sometimes strange variety of things in life. One of its provisions was the care of a bird's nest with fledglings and this followed immediately upon a command that a woman should not dress as a man nor a man as a woman.

Christians have the privilege of knowing God as Father, in fact the apostle John wrote especially to the little children "because ye have known the Father". Although we may not understand it much it is as a result of God's work in us that we have become believers on the Lord Jesus Christ. We have a new and true nature so that as born again we are eager for the suited food of God's word and should grow up to Christ in all things. Are you a credit to the family?

J.C.Evershed