Council Community Church

Pastor's Corner

WONDERFUL PIECE OF WORK

Hasn’t it been good to see the sun this week? There’s nothing like a month-long monsoon season to make you appreciate a crisp blue sky and the warmth of Sol. During this rainy, cold Spring I know that there were plenty of folks thinking about how nice it would be to escape to Hawaii (you know who you are!). Well, you’ll be happy to know that you’re not alone in your wishes.

The Pacific Golden Plover is an Alaskan shore bird (these critters KNOW wet and cold). They weigh a fraction of a pound; roughly the same as a dove. Evidently, they also dream of Hawaii’s welcoming shores.

Each year they lay about 4 eggs and care for them until they hatch. Then they pack their bags and fly to the Sandwich Islands, but not before they hit the grub-line; heavy. The plovers eat until they have built up about 70 grams of fat stores for the oversea flight. Hmmmm…stuff yourself for days on end and then fly to Hawaii…I think I was meant to be a plover!

There are some problems, though; very serious problems. First of all, there is no land for the birds to stop and rest on during their Pacific crossing from Alaska to Hawaii. This means that they have to travel for 88 hours non-stop (3 days and 4 nights). The Pacific Golden Plover burns about 1 gram of stored fat during every hour of flight, so you do the math.

70 grams of fat gives them about 70 hours of flight time, but Hawaii is 88 hours distant. And remember, there are no islands to stop at. Oh, and one more thing: the Golden Plover is a non-swimmer (didn’t you just know that there would be a catch?). Too bad, so sad: the little feathered travelers will fall into the Pacific Ocean – unable to stay afloat - many hours short of their paradise vacation spot. Great news for the sharks, total bummer for the birds.

But wait! The plovers fly in formation (somewhat like geese) with the strongest flyers taking turns on “point”, while all of the others behind benefit from the reduced air pressure of the “draft” effect. This conserves just enough energy to allow the birds to hit Hawaii before they plunge to their deaths in the Pacific. Sure is lucky, huh?! Yup; sure is.

There could have been no slow, gradual evolution of this bird or this trek, because it’s truly all or nothing: you fly all the way to Hawaii or you die. If you make the slightest miscalculation in navigation: you die. If you don’t make the proper adjustments for wind currents and storms: you die. If you can’t rapidly store and burn fat stores: you die (these birds can lost HALF of their body weight during the few days of their cross-oceanic journey). If you don’t fly in formation: you…well, you get the picture.

The entire package has obviously been designed by God to function perfectly as a system. If ANY of the elements are missing, the Golden Plover is extinct. End of story. Game over. But they ARE all there and they DO all function together. What an awesome God I belong to!

Just one last little thing to mention about these plovers: the parents don’t show their offspring how to get to Hawaii. They leave after the eggs hatch. The young are left in Alaska to get on with the work of growing up and getting fat so that they can fly to Hawaii – unaided and unguided by older birds - to join Mom and Dad. How does that happen by pure chance?

“Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend Your works to another; they will tell of Your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of Your awesome works, and I will proclaim Your great deeds. They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness.” (Psalm 145:3-7)