Thank you Miki Clouser for your contribution this week!

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I love tiny things. Seashells. Itsy bitsy spiders. Flowers. Wee critters. If it’s small, I’m fascinated. I bought a digital camera just after college, so you can imagine the overwhelming collection of random things I’ve photographed to “look up when I get home.” I recently started the agonizingly slow process of finding, organizing, and classifying photos of hundreds of things I’ve found on four continents over two decades.
A few weeks ago, I made a discovery… I had photographed a Convergent Lady Beetle in 2019, a Variegated Lady-Beetle in 2017, and a Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle in 2016, all in Idaho. What in the world! How many kinds of ladybugs are there in North America? I consulted Google. My mind was blown, 450-500 species, 200 of which are non-native “invaders.” So how many species are there worldwide? I watched Google’s “thinking swirlie” spin…. “There are 5,000-6,000 described species of ladybugs (family Coccinellidae) found worldwide.” Say what, Google? Are you messing with me? Not at all. They come in red, orange, yellow, pink, brown, grey, black, white, and steel blue.

But it’s not just ladybugs. There are around 150 species of Prickly Pear Cactus. Coastal Prickly Pear will die if it drops below freezing, but Plains Prickly Pear sheds water and builds up sugars in its cell walls to survive brutal mountain winters. When I found multiple species “of the same thing,” there were specialized traits for each species. The Texas Striped Sweat Bee and the Angeles Striped Sweat Bee are virtually identical without a microscope (still not sure which iridescent green friend I photographed). The Goldenrod Crab Spider camouflages itself by changing colors. I found it looking “goldrenrod” on a flower in Idaho, and white on buckwheat in Washington. Our world was made with undeniable creativity and intentionality. It was no accident.

How did God decide how many species of ladybugs the planet needed? How did He plan for so many interdependent species and keep them in balance? How did He factor in the changes due to the curse? I have so many questions.

In Genesis, the God of the universe said “let there be…” 7 times in a creative sense (Gen 1.3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, and 24). The universe bursts into existence at the sound of His voice. I asked Google for a breakdown of classified “wild” species on earth; insects 1 million+, arachnids 97,000+, mollusks 85,000+, crustaceans 47,000+, fish 37,000+, reptiles 12,000+, birds 11,000+, amphibians 8,900+, and mammals 6,800+. Psalm 19 says that His creation speaks His existence and character to those who listen.

For 6 days, God said, “Let there be…” and for several thousand years we have been playing catch up to the sound of His voice. In September a new cat species (leopardus tilcayo) was discovered in Bolivia’s Cloud Forest. We think we’re all that and a bag of chips when we find a new thing. But God made the universe in 6 days with only His voice. Ok bigmouth, top that.

God said, “Let there be…” and it was. Everything we know owes its existence to Go

d’s voice. “My sheep recognize my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10.27) That same “creation” voice is the one I recognize as my Shepherd, and the proof and product of His voice surrounds me daily. I hope that inspires a sense of awe deep in your soul. The powerful, awesome, unimaginably great Creator of the universe wants a level of intimacy that allows me to know, trust, and love His incredible voice.