A WORD FOR TODAY, June 18, 2024
Peggy Hoppes
We pray you have been blessed by this daily devotion. If you received it from a friend, you can see other devotions and studies by visiting our website at www.awordfortoday.org.
Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, June 18, 2024
“God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them. God said to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food. To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;’ and it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.” Genesis 1:27-31, WEB
I love to go to the zoo. I know that not all zoos are well run, and that some animals struggle at life in the habitats where they live. Yet, many zoos are doing an incredible job of making a place where the animals are comfortable so that people, children and adults alike, can learn about animals and develop an appreciation for those that are in the wild. Most zoos have breeding programs that help rebuild struggling communities of animals around the world and they have conservationists who travel the world to study the environments to learn how the animals might be protected and increased. Zoos and other animal exhibits are often created for education so that we will learn our own responsibility for their care and concern for all God’s creation.
One of my favorite things to do at our zoo is to feed the lorikeets. The habitat is filled with many of the brightly colored birds, which fly around impatiently waiting for guests to enter with cups of nectar. The purchase of a cup of nectar grants entry into the aviary. It is important to wait for the caretaker to allow entry because the birds try to fly out. The caretaker also introduces the guests to the birds, teaching how to hold the cup of nectar and gives tips to help make the experience good for both guest and the birds. One tip is to go well into the aviary so that the birds will move away from the door. They tend to flock at the entrance because they know their treats come from there.
The birds are always excited and quickly land all over the guest. They often know how to remove the lids for themselves, so impatient for the yummy nectar. They land on arms, shoulders, even heads, waiting their turn at the cup. Sometimes they fight with one another when they are tired of waiting. They aren’t all anxious for the nectar, but still curious about the human standing in their aviary. One bird, either very patient or not quite hungry, sat on my chest and looked me in the eye. I wasn’t sure about this particular bird; I was a bit concerned that he would try to nip me with his beak. He didn’t. He just sat there for a few minutes and then flew away.
On another occasion, two birds landed on my arm as I was getting ready to leave. They were twins and rather young, but definitely getting used to living in this exhibit. I was nearly out of nectar, but that did not stop them from trying to eat. One bird tried to steal the cup from out of my hand and the other nipped me on the finger with his beak. The caretaker suggested that I drop the cup so that the birds would know it was empty so that they could move on to the next guest.
The caretakers at the zoos and other animal exhibits have great responsibilities. They are granted the privilege to care for the beautiful animals; they love the creatures and do whatever they need to do to ensure their health and their safety. Birds are not the only animals that are found in feeding exhibits, the food is available, but limited. The caretakers ensure that the animals are not overfed; they stay nearby so that the guests can’t harm them. Every detail of their daily life is planned and executed to the benefit of the animals. And because they are willing to do this, we have the opportunity to see and learn about animals we might never see. They love to share information with the guests, answering questions and telling stories that encourage thoughtful living so that we will do what is necessary to take care of God’s good creation.
God is our caretaker, and though He is not walking around the earth as if it is a zoo, watching human activity guests feeding the lorikeets. However, I do think God enjoys us in our habitat, laughing with us as we play and giggling in surprise when we, like the birds, sneak up on Him from behind seeking the sweet nectar of His love. He has created us to be like Him, co-creators called and gifted to take care of everything He created. It is indeed good. Every creature has been given a unique purpose and the more we learn about God’s creation, the more we can and will take care of it. It is a great responsibility, but such a joy.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276. Like the page to receive the devotion through Facebook. For information and to access our archives, visit http://www.awordfortoday.org