GOD GIVES EVERY CREATURE WHAT IT NEEDS

He created the earth for all creatures. [55:10]

...There is not a creature that He does not control. [11:56]

God created every single creature on earth. He knows its course and its final destiny.[11:6] He precisely designed every creature, designed it to fit perfectly into its niche in this world. We think that we have control over the animals, especially those we domesticated and changed over the centuries. But it’s still all according to God’s plan.

When I was researching tigers for a recent conference talk, I discovered something which I thought was interesting. The more I thought about it, the more remarkable it seemed to me. And I realized it was one more example of God giving to every creature what it needs.

GOD is fully aware of all His creatures; He provides for whomever He wills. He is the Powerful, the Almighty. [42:19] 

 

I don’t understand the physiology of this because I’m not very versed in anatomy, but I can tell you that the hyoid bone is present in man and many other mammals. It’s in our throat and allows for movements of the tongue, pharynx and larynx. I had never heard of the hyoid until I read this on Seaworld.org:

“The elastic hyoid, combined with the fibro-elastic tissue on top of the big cats' undivided vocal folds, acts like a slide trombone, enabling the big cats to roar…. Because of the elastic hyoid, big cats can purr only when breathing out. The hyoid of smaller cats is solid bone. These cats can purr when breathing both in and out, but they can't roar.”

Tigers don’t need to purr; they need to roar. Their survival may depend on it. They range over hundreds of miles and must communicate over these vast distances. They warn invaders that this is their territory; stay away. To hear a big cat roar—well, there’s no question of the ferocity, confidence, and majesty of a creature who can roar.

But a roar would be a huge disadvantage to an animal which is meant to live indoors and share life with humans. Some people (foolishly) try to make pets of tigers and cheetahs, but most people who take a cat into their home want a soft, cuddly creature. They don’t mind that cats have more independence and mystery than dogs, but they want an animal that doesn’t scare them to death when it opens its mouth!

So God gave each creature what it would need to survive in this world. The lion and tiger can loudly and firmly communicate their presence and their power. The tabby and the calico meow demurely (or insistently) to be fed, and then cuddle on your lap and purr as you stroke them. We find this purring sound soothing and rewarding. We feed the cat so he doesn’t have to hunt, and he repays us with his purr. And probably in its own way, the roar and the purr serve the same function—each cat is claiming its territory. What amazing creations of God.

Among His proofs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the creatures He spreads in them. He is able to summon them, when He wills. [42:29] 

All the creatures on earth, and all the birds that fly with wings, are communities like you. We did not leave anything out of this book. To their Lord, all these creatures will be summoned. [6:38]

Lydia

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