The Reluctant Fish

Habakkuk 1:14
“And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?”

One of the strangest creatures in the world is a rather reluctant fish called the mudskipper. Even though it is a fish, it can dig burrows, travel miles on land and even does a mating dance on land that can last up to an hour. Some species of mudskipper can even climb trees.

The mudskipper has the ability to absorb oxygen from water on its skin. All it needs to do is stay wet. It also has sponge-like sacks around its gills that hold a supply of water. And should any of these systems not be enough, the mudskipper can also take in air directly. And just as our eyes do not see well under water, most fish cannot see well out of the water. But the mudskipper has special eyes that give him good vision in and out of the water.

The mudskipper is an excellent example of God’s unbridled creativity. Imagine giving such a wondrous design to a fish! The prophet Habakkuk compares men to fish when he asks why God allows men to be caught by evil people, as fish are caught by men. But God reminds Habakkuk that when the evil attack the godly, they are storing up punishment for themselves. Ultimately, the Lord tells Habakkuk, and us, that all things serve the glory of God.

Prayer:
Dear Father in heaven, forgive me for those times when I worry, forgetting that You are in complete charge and that you have an unlimited mind for finding solutions and bringing good out of the worst situation. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Notes:
“A Fish out of Water.” Discover, Feb. 1985, pp. 56-61. Photo: Atlantic mudskippers. Courtesy of Bjørn Christian Tørrissen. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2.