Behold the Beaver

Prayer – Lord, I am amazed by the wild animals that You created and saved on the ark with Noah. Having seen a beaver and animals, like deer, elk, and even a wolf, in the wild, I really feel like I am blessed. Sure, there are wild animal in the zoos and animal sanctuaries around the world, but to have seen Your creation, in creation is just awesome. Thank you for that opportunity and Your creativity.

So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird--each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth." And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day. Then God said, "Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind--livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals." And that is what happened. God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:21-25

 

Bring a pair of every kind of animal--a male and a female--into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals." So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him. Genesis 6:19-22

 

Meditate. Consider the creatures that God created.

 

Have you ever seen wild animals…in their natural wild habitat? While I was kayaking on a little lake called “Mallard Marsh” in northern Washington State, I was privileged to watch a beaver swim and then whack the water with his tail, assumedly to warn other beavers. SPLASH! It was awesome.

 

When we were camping in May near this same lake where there are actually two beaver lodges, I thought I could see a turtle on a log. It turned out to be a beaver and it made a huge SPLASH! And then disappeared. I was startled, but it was so thrilling to witness that splash!

 

We returned to the same campground and lake a few days ago and I went out in my kayak to check out the beaver lodges—being sure not to get too close or disturb them. No beaver out and about that first evening, but I did see a white-tailed doe standing in the lake taking a sip of the cool water. We were both shocked to see each other so close—about fifteen feet away. She turned and bounded up the hillside, stopped and looked at me. I sat motionless in my kayak. She waggled her ears, and then make a hissing bark sound. We continued to look at each other. Then she kicked up some dust with her hind feet, watched me silently for a couple more seconds and she was off into the forest. The sound she made was so unusual it really intrigued me. 

Beaver's Lodge
...covered in mud, branches and sticks.

A couple of nights later—actually late afternoon—I headed back to the lake, hoping to see the deer, the beaver and a variety of birds that habitat that area, like heron, egrets, cormorant, several varieties of ducks and hawks, Canadian geese, bank swallows, blackbirds, plovers, and sea gulls. No deer, but I was treated to a spectacular siting of a beaver as I sat in my boat quietly a safe distance from the beaver lodge. You could tell this was an active lodge since it had fresh branches, leaves and mud on the top of it. The beaver swam along in the little rivulets within the marshy cattail area near the lodge, then into a reflective pond. It didn’t see me for a while as I started videoing it. You can see it swimming about in the photo, but unfortunately the BlogSpot doesn't support MOV format videos so you don't get to see it doing its warning Splash. There didn’t appear to be any other beaver out and about—but we all know that that whack of the water is the beaver’s warning system.

 

Behold the Beaver

The real desire of my heart was to see the beaver carrying some branches in its mouth to work on its lodge or take back to his family, but that wasn’t apparent until I zoomed in on a video. Yes, there in its mouth were branches! It was like that ole’ critter swam right towards me so that I would be able to see the branches in his mouth and one trailing behind him. I am so blessed. This encounter with God’s creation gives me hope. Hope of eternal security—and the fulfillment of God’s love. God cares about the animals--sparrows and beavers. He cares about me and you!

 

Verses of Hope and Salvation ~ We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me." Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled. May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. Romans 15:2-7

 

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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