Subscription Lists
Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
The Sunny South is an expression I have heard all my life. I was born here and I have lived here all my life. I have ventured into the northern states a few times during the winter months and was always glad to get home to a more moderate clime. Last week in Atlanta was an entirely different and unprecedented week for the Sunny South. What fell as about a three or four inch snow proved to be our match. In fact as I was driving to work on Thursday (one of only three days I was able to get to the office due to icy road conditions), I spotted a white flag marking one of the holes on a golf driving range and immediately thought (in connection with the blanket of snow and ice that still covered the ground), The Surrender of Atlanta; Winter of 2011.”
Our city was at a virtual standstill for the better part of three days. Delivery trucks were not able to make local deliveries. Eighteen-wheelers were stranded on the interstates, not able to climb some of the iced-over grades along the way. Emergency vehicles were pressed into service to transport doctors and other essential medical staff to the bedsides of needy patients. Even those who were experienced winter drivers from the northern states found it essentially impossible to move from place to place due to the lingering icy crust that covered everything on the surface of the ground. Once again, I saw mankind in all his might forced to his knees by a gentle wind from God!
Don't get me wrong; I am not claiming that God punished Atlanta by sending the snow we had last week! I am just making an observation that the little finger of God is stronger than the collective might of millions! “For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’; Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength. He seals the hand of every man, That all men may know His work. The beasts go into dens, And remain in their lairs. From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind, And cold from the scattering winds of the north. By the breath of God ice is given, And the broad waters are frozen. Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds. And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, That they may do whatever He commands them On the face of the whole earth. He causes it to come, Whether for correction, Or for His land, Or for mercy.” (Job 37.6-13).
Actually, the Bible mentions snow, ice, and hail a number of times. It just happens that the first biblical mention of hail was when it was used by God to try to persuade the Egyptians to release the children of Israel from slavery (see Exodus 9.18-34). However, lest we get the wrong idea that snow and hail are merely destructive in nature, Job assures us that they contain God-given treasures that man is inclined to overlook (see Job 38.22). One of the treasures of snow and hail is this: Ice floats! As water in its liquid form grows colder, the molecules slow down like other liquids. However, water takes on a crystalline structure which forces the molecules further apart and into a solid that is less dense than its liquid counterpart. And, wallah! Ice floats! From what I am able to discover, this property of water is shared with only a handful of other known substances in our universe.
What would happen if water did not have this rare property? This is where one of the treasures of snow and hail come in. Rivers and streams in the wintertime would freeze from the bottom up as the colder and denser water sank to the bottom. With prolonged periods of cold weather, steams would literally freeze solid and result in the wholesale destruction of all fish in these streams. It just so happens that the most prevalent liquid on this planet, water, has a most rare property that preserves life on our planet. This is not an accident, but a treasure of snow put there by Creator God!
Questions:
1. According to Job 37';s poetic form, how does it happen that ice forms on the earth?
2. What is the literal truth that we derive from the fact that God speaks and rain, snow, and other elements of weather come upon the earth?
3. What would occur in rivers, lakes and ponds during long periods of cold weather if it were not true that ice (solid water) is less dense than its liquid counterpart?
4. To whom do we owe our very existence? In what ways does He still prove this fundamental truth?
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "Today's Little Lift" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.