The World's Ugliest Animal?

Romans 5:8
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

When this fish is taken out of the water, its face almost looks like a very sad person. In 2013 it was voted the “World’s Ugliest Animal”. What is this creature that was adopted as the mascot of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society? It’s the appropriately named blobfish.

Photos of the ugly blobfish have been making the rounds on the Internet. And yet, even the blobfish has beauty when you consider that it was designed to function perfectly in its environment.

Blobfish inhabit the deep waters off the coasts of Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. If you wanted to see one in its natural habitat, you would have to dive to a depth of between 2,000 and 3,900 feet where the pressure is several dozen times higher than at sea level. The pressure is no problem for the blobfish, though. Its jelly-like body is slightly less dense than water, allowing it to float effortlessly just above the sea floor.

Blobfish don’t have much muscle for swimming, but they don’t need it. They simply swallow edible matter that floats into their mouth. Sadly, they are an endangered species because of fishing trawlers dragging their nets on the seafloor.

Yes, the blobfish is far from attractive. But it serves as a reminder that sinful human beings are unattractive in the sight of God. And yet, while we were still sinners, God sent His Son to die for us and to exchange His righteousness for our sins, making us acceptable in God’s sight. What a Savior!

Prayer:
Father, thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to reveal the ugliness brought about by sin. Thank You also for sending Your Son to remove my sin and make me righteous in Your sight. Amen.

Notes:
“So you think you’ve had a bad day? Spare a thought for the world’s most miserable-looking fish, which is now in danger of being wiped out,” Mail Online, 1-26-10. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1245955/Worlds-miserable-looking-fish-danger-wiped-out.html#ixzz38i3nZRZK. Photo: Blobfish. Courtesy of Kids Discover Magazine. https://www.facebook.com/kidsdiscover/photos/pb.157635677358.-2207520000.1407342467./10152612378327359/?type=1&theater.