Lessons from the Cicada Invasion

We are currently under invasion by Cicada's (locust) and I am once again struck by the bizarreness of the world. These are animals that come out once every 17 years lay their eggs which will lay dormant for 17 years and then repeat the process. These creatures also make one of the eeriest sounds that I have ever heard, and the sound doesn't come from their mouths but rather from the movement of their wings and legs (I think, I've heard contradictory explanations). These are odd little creatures and as I have been walking around listening to their strange song (my home seems to be a Cicada mall, they are all over everything) I have been reflecting on these odd little guys and I think that there are some things we can learn from them.

First - They display the wondrous creativity of God. God apparently loves diversity (we see this also in the targets of the Gospel - all nations) and with His infinite mind He has given us a world that displays His joy in creating a diverse animal world. Think of Australia for example, that is a wonderfully strange place. The kangaroo for example hops on his hind legs, has arms that he can use to box with, carries their young in a pouch, what a mammal. Then you have the duck-billed platypus, I don't even need to describe that bad-boy. Our God is a lover of order but also delights in expressing His creativity in diversity.

Second - I am once again reminded of the limitations of evolutionary explanations. Evolution is based on the premise that we adapt in ways that preserve our species. I cannot think of a single evolutionary benefit to hiding eggs in the ground that will lie dormant for 17 YEARS. The evolutionary worldview is a pipe dream and when once the mind is opened to the possibility of a divine creator its limitations are clearly impossible to overcome.

Third - The Cicada's also show us that we are quite powerless and dependent creatures. The Cicada's come when it is their time, they eat whatever they please. We are unable to convince them to go somewhere else, we are unable to keep them from eating everything in sight (agricutural societies probably hate these guys). They remind us that despite our proclamations that we are the Kings of the world and the deciders of our own destinies, we are the inhabitors of a world that was created by God and not us, God sustains this world we do not. Our weathermen only have best guesses.

Let us turn to this God in trust and faith. Let us embrace the God who is the creator of beautiful diversity. Embrace not as deists but as those who realize that this creator is known most clearly not as creator but as the Father of Jesus Christ.