A Chorus of Praise
Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, sing and make music from your heart to the Lord. Ephesians 5:19 (NIV)
Frogs and toads are quite interesting. Their little bug eyes are constantly on the move looking for a tasty meal to fly by. Frogs play an incredibly important role in our ecosystem. With highly permeable skin, they can easily absorb bacteria, chemicals, and other toxins. Sadly, 120 species have already become extinct since the 1980’s (Audubon Society). Julie Lavender (All God’s Creatures) has convinced me that all creatures, including us, do praise the Lord.
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My husband and I, along with our son, squeezed in an early summer’s evening walk just after a refreshing rain shower. The road, still damp from the moisture, glistened in the sunshine. Droplets sat atop the green grass on the side of the road.
When our conversations about weather and coworkers and upcoming plans ceased, we notice the chorus of amphibians that surrounded us.
“It’s like they’re praising the Lord for the rain,” I commented. “Croaking songs of praise.”
My biologist husband, David, began pointing out the variety of frogs calling into the evening.
“Those are spring peepers,” he said. “They sound a lot like sleigh bells when they peep in chorus. Hear that low-pitched ‘waaah, waaah’ call? That’s the sound of a spadefoot toad.”
We took a few more steps, and David pointed out the sound of a green tree frog.
“They sound almost like dogs barking,” I said.
To my untrained ear, all those peeping, croaking, barking amphibians sounded like a noisy bunch of frogs, and it was difficult for me to distinguish each particular species. But my husband the biologist recognized each individual sound.
I couldn’t help but compare the chorus of frogs singing praises for the rain to a world with many people praising God at the same time. A “chorus of praise,” so to speak, across the globe. Each of us with different voices, different languages, and different methods of worship. And yet, our Creator God knows and recognizes each individual voice. I feel certain that God is pleased with our prayers and praises, songs, and hymns, just like I believe it makes Him smile to hear a chorus of frogs and toads on an early summer’s evening.
Walk of Faith: Spend some time listening to different frog and toad calls online. Look at pictures and admire God’s creativity with the different characteristics of all species. Take a walk one evening after a refreshing shower and identify the sounds you hear.