All Creatures Great and Small

Hi, and welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. I'm Mike Whitmer, and I titled our reading, All Creatures Great and Small. Michelle Grant trained a baby beaver named Timber to return to the wild. When she took him for swims in a pond, he'd come back to her kayak to snuggle and rub noses. One morning, Timber didn't return. Michelle scoured the pond for six hours before giving up. Weeks later, she found a beaver skull. Assuming it was Timber, she began to cry.

My soul ached for Michelle and Timber. I told myself, snap out of it. He's just a large aquatic rodent. But the truth is, I cared. And so does God. His love reaches high to the heavens and down to the smallest creature. Part of the creation he calls us to steward well.

In Psalm 36, the psalmist says God preserves both people and animals, providing food for the cattle and for the young ravens. One day, Michelle was kayaking in a neighbor's pond, and surprise! There was Timber. He'd found a beaver family and was helping them raise two kits.

He surfaced beside Michelle's kayak. She smiled. You look well. You have a beautiful family.

He cooed, splashed his tail, and swam to his new mom. I love happy endings, especially my own. Jesus promised that, as his father feeds the birds, so he will supply whatever we need. Not one sparrow falls to the ground outside your father's care.

So don't be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Psalm 36, verses 5-10. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is Your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

They feast on the abundance of Your house. You give them drink from Your river of delights. For with You is the fountain of life.

In Your light, we see light. Continue Your love to those who know You, Your righteousness to the upright in heart. Let's pray. Father, we lift up our cares and worries to You. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.