Where I live in Australia we are in a rain forest region. Our summer is our wet season in the "underneath part of the world."

The official weather forecast for today was "continuing fair." Now that is interesting, for in the past 19 hours we have had over six inches of rain! Our weather people got it wrong.

We are watching something very interesting. For the past few days our houses have been invaded by ants, which is not uncommon for this time of year. In fact, there are so many we find them crawling everywhere. They are looking for higher ground. The little black ants scurry up and down the walls in long, busy lines, carrying their small eggs up higher to protect them from water that will soon come. They tuck their eggs in cracks of the wall and even as high as the ceilings. They know a time of trouble is coming, so wisely they take steps to be prepared. We have also noticed over the past few days that the ant nests on the ground have had large lips built around them. This is common too. These lips around the nests on the ground are built up like volcanoes around the entrances to keep water from running in. Some lips are 3 to 4 inches high. It all means rain is coming.

I sometimes don't pay attention to what the weather bureau reports. I watch the ants instead, for they always know. By watching the ants I knew rain was on the way last night, but the people at the weather bureau with their highly specialized instruments got it wrong. I don't ignore the weather people; it is just interesting to see that in the simplest of God's creatures there is an accuracy that man can't match. Thinking of the amazing ways God's creation speaks to man, it is hard to understand how man can reject the God who is the Creator of it all.

I am reminded of the verse in Proverb 6:6 that says, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise." God has set lessons for us in His creation, if we are willing to see them. He has given these little ants some kind of an advance warning when the heavy rains are coming, and they obey these warnings. God gives other creatures advance warning of winter coming with its fierce winds, cold temperatures and shortness of food. And they obey these warnings by migrating to warmer climates, or storing food, or hibernating.

God has also given you advance warning of coming punishment for your sins. But He has made a way for your sins to be forgiven. Because He loves you and cares so much for you, He provided a substitute to take that punishment in your place. That substitute is His beloved Son, Christ Jesus, who died on Calvary's cross for you so your sins could be forgiven. All that's left for you to do is to confess to God that you are a sinner and accept Christ Jesus as your very own Saviour. "Jesus Christ ... in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:5-7).

God has given you advance warning about the coming punishment for your sins. Have you obeyed His warnings? "The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10).

Copied with permission from Messages of God's Love. More articles in The Wonders of God's Creation (Volume 1-4) by Sidney R. Gill, also published by Bible Truth Publishers.