“It is possible that God says every morning, ‘Do it again’ to the sun.” —G.K. Chesterton
As the Lord begins His questions about animals, it’s quite touching where He starts. “Can you hunt the prey for the lion, or satisfy the appetite of the young lions, when they crouch in their dens, or lurk in their lairs to lie in wait? Who provides food for the raven, when its young ones cry to God, and wander about for lack of food?” (Job 38:39-41). Has it ever crossed your mind to be troubled that lion cubs might be hungry if their parents are having a hard time finding prey? Are you ever concerned that raven chicks might have to wander about looking for food? God is! This is no mechanistic world, set in motion at the beginning and left to run unattended. It isn’t accidental but a purposeful act of grace when, as Jesus said, “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Mt 5:45). And I don’t suppose we could exactly call it praying, but when you heard baby birds cheeping, did you think they were crying to God? He did! Both of these scenes, with carnivorous lions and carrion-eating ravens, by the way, are a result of the Fall. God has a loyalty to His creatures that extends beyond that tragic event, and beyond humanity to all of nature. Remember His rebuke to Jonah: “And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?” (Jon 4:11). Yes, don’t forget the little ones still putting their sandals on the wrong feet—and the livestock. But there’s a hidden message here for us. If God cares about lions and their offspring, and ravens and their offspring, did He care about Job and his offspring? About you and yours? That answer should be obvious!