I love God’s creation.  I am awestruck that our creative creating God formed so much variety in the plant and animal world!  And everything has its place in the balance of nature. 

But while I’m intrigued by its unique characteristics, I admit that snapping turtles don’t command a great deal of my appreciation.  Beige leathery skin camouflaged a dull green on top, and covered with a dull green shell.  A snake-like head with small, beady eyes and protruding nostrils, and a snake-like tail covered with armored ridges.  Long claws protrude from its thick, stumpy legs.

Not only are they ugly, but they can be nasty too.  And especially when they are out of the water, where they feel more vulnerable. 

Generally slow in movement, they can bite astonishingly quickly.  And their bites pack a powerful PSI (pounds per square inch)!  To put it in perspective, humans have a PSI of about 162, most dogs about 200-250, while an alligator snapping turtle can exert an astonishing 1,000 pounds per square inch with its bite!

That’s powerful enough to crush bones, sever fingers, and, as proven in an experiment, cut through a wooden broomstick!  Thankfully, they aren’t generally aggressive in water, where they usually hang out.

I recognize that snapping turtles have their place in God’s creation, but I admit that I wouldn’t go out of my way to see one and certainly not to assist one.

So imagine my surprise recently when I witnessed a young man ushering a snapper across busy McEwan Street here in Clare!

As the locals know, McEwan is essentially “main street” into and out of the city.  It consists of 2 lanes going in both directions, with a turn lane in the middle. (5 lanes altogether.)  Furthermore, the street can get frantically busy, and especially along “hamburger hill” … a stretch just off the freeway packed with restaurants.

Restaurant alley seems an unlikely place for a turtle to decide to cross the street.  Presumably it was a female searching for a suitable place to lay her eggs, and there doesn’t seem to be much habitat in that area for such a thing.  Nevertheless, that’s where she was methodically making her way across the 5 lanes of speeding vehicles.

It could very well have been a mortal mistake on her part.  Except for her benevolent guardian who walked beside her.

He wore no bright clothes; no fluorescent orange or yellow.  He was in drab, every-day clothes that really didn’t allow him to stand out much.  What DID stand out about him was that he was standing out in the middle of a busy street, waving his arms at oncoming traffic!

“What in the world is he doing?” I initially wondered.  Then I saw the turtle.

I don’t know how long that slow trek lasted, but I’m confident that young man stayed with the turtle for the duration.  He didn’t need to do that, but he did.

It occurred to me that this is what our Savior did and does for us.

We are every bit as ugly – spiritually – as that turtle.  Every bit as undeserving.  Every bit as foolish.  Every bit as undesirable.  Yet Jesus desired that we be with him now and forever.

So he stretched out his arms and died for us.  Our sins are atoned for; our salvation secured through him.  He didn’t need to do that, but he did.

And he still walks beside us through the dangers and difficulties of this life!

What a thought.  We are slowly ambulating through circumstances that beset us, imminent destruction surrounding us … and Jesus walks beside us, keeping us safe.  He doesn’t need to do that either, but he does.

“Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;  though lofty, he sees them from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble,  you preserve my life.  You stretch out your hand …; with your right hand you save me” (Psalm 138:6-7).

Thanks be to our God and Savior, who didn’t need to do what he did and does, but who did it and does it anyway! 

How awesome is our God!  How unimaginable his love!  And how comforting his presence.