Who Is the Strongest?

If asked what the world’s strongest animal might be, you would probably imagine a large animal like an elephant or whale. Surprisingly, the title actually goes to the Onthophagus Taurus dung beetle. This little creature can pull 1,140 times its own body weight! A recent study from Queen Mary University of London reveals that the dung beetle uses its great strength to battle other male beetles during mating season. Imagine pulling 100 tons of weight—an impossible feat for any human. Yet a dung beetle can do the equivalent.

The strength of God’s creatures might cause us to pause in wonder, but the power of our Creator is even greater. The psalmist praised, “Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power.” David recognized with awe the strength of our God as something to be praised. In the world around him and the events of his life, he could see God’s might at work.

The same God who created an astonishingly strong insect has the strength to orchestrate the powers that control our world, yet at the same time He knows and cares about the small details of our lives. The trials on your heart are close to His heart too, and His strength is always ready to carry us through each day. Like David, many of us face difficult trials; it can be easy to let fear overwhelm us. But if we pause to step back and recognize that our lives are not in our hands, we can rest easy. Our lives are in the hands of an incredibly strong and caring Creator.