Psalm 8 Part 7: Sheep, Oxen and Beasts
Psalm 8 Part 7: Sheep, Oxen and Beasts
Psalm 8:7 The life He has created is abundant! It is our prayer that it is ours for eternity.
“All sheep and oxen,
And also the beasts of the field,”
Psalms 8:7 NASB1995
Our God-given dominion on the Earth is first given to us over all of the creatures of the land (the birds and the creatures in the sea are discussed in verse 8). The jaw-dropping diversity of His creation speaks to the overwhelming dominance of life on this planet.
What is life? Well, the scientists attempt to define it as follows (the links go back to Wikipedia; footnote links have been removed):
Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from matter that does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energy transformation, and reproduction. Various forms of life exist, such as plants, animals, fungi, protists, archaea, and bacteria. Biology is the science that studies life.
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The definition of life has long been a challenge for scientists and philosophers. This is partially because life is a process, not a substance. This is complicated by a lack of knowledge of the characteristics of living entities, if any, that may have developed outside of Earth. Philosophical definitions of life have also been put forward, with similar difficulties on how to distinguish living things from the non-living. Legal definitions of life have also been described and debated, though these generally focus on the decision to declare a human dead, and the legal ramifications of this decision. As many as 123 definitions of life have been compiled.
Only God can truly define life because He is the one who created it. He spoke the words and life appeared on this oasis Eden called Earth, located in a vast universe of His making. We have His mandate to care for this life (including our own) in a way that honors Him, but we should also not be distracted by that task and lose focus on our obedience and worship of the Creator above all else. Love Him, the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah, then love His creation. His life is abundance!
I must confess that I truly love animals, as do most people in our current culture. Animal protection agencies and humane societies proliferate, with many people expressing deep sorrow over abused animals or wildlife that is endangered or the death of a feral animal. Sadly, that same sorrow from the animal lovers is usually not evident for aborted humans, except in the pro-life crowd; it’s ironic that many think of a pre-born dog as a puppy or a whale fetus as a whale, but a pre-born human is often defined as a “clump of cells” (a distinction that is clearly anti-human).
I admit to having had many wonderful pets over the years and I hope, like many others do, that there is a “rainbow bridge” for them to get to Heaven, too. We can hope in God’s love, mercy, grace and life-affirming joy that He may join us with our lost kitties and dogs and other pets (and, of course, our beloved relatives and friends who believed) in the end of all things. We will likely be too busy on our knees in awe before the Great “I AM” for a first eternity, but we also have eternity to reunite with lives that have been lived that honor Him (and I believe animals honor Him in everything they do). You can do everything when you have eternity under His wings!
My next devotional examines Psalm 8 verse 8, followed by verse 9. After I complete Psalm 8, I am planning to tackle 1 Peter (the first epistle of Simon Peter, the Apostle).
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - I thank you, over and over, for the glory and diversity of your creation. I pray that we can see loved ones again (including beloved animals) in eternity with you. I look around and am in awe of your majesty and mystery. Amen!
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org