The Pelican and the Glory of God

A few days ago as I was camped on the banks of the Murray River I sat and observed pelicans – as you do. The pelican is an unusually shaped bird but is obviously configured appropriately for its life on the water and in the air; effective in the water, graceful in the air and exuding an independent character all the while. It is so unlike the squabbling gulls and raucous galahs.

And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”  So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”  And there was evening, and there was morning —the fifth day.  … God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. (Gen 1)

Too often I come across Christians who are unconcerned about the environment. Their argument seems to be, the more we use and abuse creation, the sooner Christ will return. I find this thinking hard to stomach. God made a creation that was “good” and He placed us as stewards over it. When He does return will he have found faithful stewards? Ummm, I wonder.

In the meantime, for me, the pelican is a simple but special reminder of the beauty and uniqueness of what God has made, but even more, it gives me an insight into God Himself.