“God said, let the
waters teem with life and let birds soar above the earth.” ~ Genesis
1:20
At a little over three feet tall, penguins are slapstick on
ice. If you’ve ever seen them in their natural habitat, it’s impossible not to smile.
They conjure up an idea of what Buster Keaton, the King of Pratfall, must have looked
like. These tuxedo-like birds charm all age groups.
Their familiar waddle,
so genuine, so determined, so exaggerated. Then one will slip on the ice, and tip
face-first onto the snow. Or one suddenly slaps another with its “wing” and
breaks into a shrieking chase.
It makes one wonder
about God’s poor design. Their wings are too heavy and small, they can’t fly. Without knees, they can’t bend over. What was God thinking?
Penguins are ten times
more aerodynamic than a Porsche Taycan! While they lost the ability to fly
millions of years ago, their sleek bodies help make them exceptional swimmers.
When swimming,
penguins will leap above the ocean’s surface in an exercise known as porpoising.
Tiny air bubbles form on their plumage to reduce friction, allowing them to
swim as fast as 20mph.
Penguins catch all
their food from the sea. Their superior eyesight enables them to spot prey even
in cloudy, dark, or murky water. However, the penguins’ most efficient underwater
advantage is a form of underwater flying, using their unique and
powerful wings.
Its snappy two-toned
coloring (light belly and dark back) is called countershading. Its color
pattern blends in with the ocean floor when viewed from above and the sky when
viewed from below.
Penguins live in one
of the most inhospitable climates on earth with temperatures routinely -70°F.
For six long months, the land is cloaked in darkness.
And yet, emperor
penguins have learned to thrive there. To combat the lethal cold, they huddle
tightly together by the thousands to share body warmth and wind resistance. The
unique structure of their layered feathers provides good insulation,
waterproofing, and thermoregulation.
God’s perfect plan for
the survival of animals can also teach us a few things about human survival.
Tired, worried, and
burdened, we’re living through a dark time: the threat of global war, the polarity
of our political parties, and a planet careening toward disaster. Penguins are
one of the best antidotes for defeat and near despair.
For one thing, it’s almost
impossible to feel miserable in the company of penguins. They are invaluable as
diversion and consolation. They will almost certainly make you laugh.
Mostly though, God
always has a plan when He brings new life amid the harshest conditions. He’s
right there every moment with perfect timing. We will thrive, even in the toughest
situations, if we stay huddled under God’s safe covering.
Almighty and merciful God, help me to trust in Your divine timing. Let me find peace in the unknown and joy in the journey. Remind me that You are making everything beautiful in its time, even when I can't see it. Amen
