Loveliness not forgetfulness ∙∙
They forgot his works and the wonders that he had shown them. – Psalms 78:11
Psalms 78:1-32
1 O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying,
2 for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past –
3 stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us.
4 We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about his power and his mighty wonders.
6 so the next generation might know them – even the children not yet born – and they, in turn, will teach their own children.
7 So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.
8 Then they will not be like their ancestors – stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.
13 For he divided the sea and led them through, making the water stand up like walls
14 In the daytime, he led them by a cloud and all night by a pillar of fire.
17 Yet they kept on sinning against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert.
22 for they did not believe God or trust him to care for them.
32 But in spite of this, the people kept sinning. Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him.
A Loveliness of Ladybugs and the Father’s Care
On the evening of Tuesday, June 4, 2019, forecasters at the National Weather Service’s San Diego office faced a puzzling mystery. Their weather radar indicated what appeared to be heavy rainfall over the San Gabriel Mountains near Wrightwood, California. But when they looked at the sky, no clouds were visible.
What was this unrecognized phenomenon? With closer examination, the extraordinary puzzle was solved: a swarm of ladybugs extending 15 miles long, flying at altitudes between 5,000 and 9,000 feet. This wasn’t just a handful of insects; the swarm covered an area roughly 80 miles wide.
This mass of ladybugs was part of an annual migration burst. While they didn’t have an air traffic control plan, their flight was entirely consistent with the Father’s eternal plan, demonstrating His provision for even the smallest creatures.
A Flight Planned by the Father
The imagery of the ladybug migration reminds us of the Father’s attention to detail in caring for His creation. Just as He cares for the lilies of the fields and the birds of the air, so too does He care for these tiny creatures. Interestingly, a large gathering of ladybugs is called a “loveliness,” a fitting term for such a marvel of nature.
If He cares for a loveliness of ladybugs, how much more does He care for us, His children?
When We Feel Unlovely
Many of us struggle with self-doubt, low self-esteem, or a poor self-image. This can lead to the false belief that we are unlovable or unworthy of the Father’s care. We may even convince ourselves that He has forgotten or overlooked us. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Father sees us as completely lovely and precious. His love for us is unwavering, even when we forget Him or fail to trust in His faithfulness.
Lessons from Israel’s Forgetfulness
This forgetfulness is not new to mankind. The ancient Israelites experienced some of the greatest miracles recorded in the Scriptures, yet time and again, they turned away from the Father. Despite witnessing His wonders firsthand, their lack of trust was their downfall.
The psalmist reflects on their struggles in Psalms 78:32-33, “But in spite of this, the people kept sinning. Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him. So he ended their lives in failure, their years in terror.”
This reflects our natural tendency to forget the faithfulness of the Father.
REFLECT & PRAY
For many of us, it’s easy to forget the Father’s love and faithfulness in our busy and chaotic lives. However, He graciously provides reminders of His care, whether through the beauty of the natural world or the promises found in His Word. Take a moment to reflect on how He has shown His love for you, even in unexpected ways, such as the migration of a cluster of ladybugs.
Father, I recognize my own forgetfulness and doubts. Thank You for constantly reminding me of Your love and care, even when I stumble. Thank You for the natural world, with all its beauty, and for the enduring truth of the Scriptures that point me back to You. Help me trust in Your faithfulness and rest in the knowledge that I am valuable to You.
INSIGHT
The Father and the Goldilocks Zone
The Father operates within the very fabric of the space-time continuum. He is the designer and architect behind the natural order, a masterpiece that governs everything in the universe. While humanity strives to uncover the mysteries of creation through scientific discoveries, it is easy to overlook the divine hand that set it all into motion.
One of the most remarkable illustrations of this is Earth’s position as a Goldilocks planet, a term borrowed from the childhood fairy tale “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” Just as Goldilocks sought things that were “just right,” Earth occupies a perfect location in the cosmos, designed for life as we know it.
A Planet Positioned for Life
The Goldilocks Zone, also known as the habitable zone, is the ideal range of distances from a star where temperatures are just right for liquid water to exist. Earth is located in this “sweet spot,” positioned neither too close nor too far from the Sun. This positioning allows water, which is essential for life, to remain in liquid form on the planet’s surface.
Long before scientists observed and categorized this phenomenon, God created and positioned a planet ideally suited for sustaining life. Earth’s presence in the Goldilocks Zone is not merely a coincidence; it is an intentional act of intelligent design that reflects knowledge, care, and purpose.
Supernatural Interventions in Human History
While the Father established the natural order, He has also intervened supernaturally at key moments in human history. The Bible records many such events, especially in the story of Israel, the nation chosen as the stage for His miraculous works.
The Book of Hebrews captures the scope of His involvement in creation and His ultimate revelation through His Son in Hebrews 1:1-3: “Long ago, God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now, in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son, he created the universe. The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command.”
Despite numerous acts of divine intervention, the people of Israel often forgot the One who cared for and delivered them in their time of need.
Forgetfulness in the Face of Miracles
The tragedy of Israel’s story is their repeated forgetfulness of the Father’s power and providence. Their experiences, as described in Psalms 78:34-37, reveal the depths of human inconsistency: “They finally sought him. They repented and took God seriously. Then they remembered that God was their rock, that God Most High was their redeemer. But all they gave him was lip service; they lied to him with their tongues. Their hearts were not loyal to him. They did not keep his covenant.”
Despite witnessing His mighty signs and miracles and experiencing redemption from Egyptian bondage, their hearts remained unfaithful. Yet, the Father demonstrated incredible mercy time and again as seen in Psalms 78:38-39: “Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins and did not destroy them all…He remembered that they were merely mortal, gone like a breath of wind that never returns.”
This pattern of rebellion, repentance, and redemption highlights the Father’s enduring patience.
A Reminder of His Love
The Father’s care for creation is clear not only in grand miracles but also in small moments of provision, like the migration of a loveliness of ladybugs. These tiny creatures, guided by His plan, demonstrate the same loving attention with which He sustains humanity.
When we feel forgotten, unlovable, or lost in a chaotic world, we should remember the Father’s providence. Just as He placed Earth in the Goldilocks Zone and guides the migration of ladybugs, He cares deeply for each of us.
The beauty of creation and the vastness of the Father’s care serve as constant reminders of His love and faithfulness.
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© Dr. H 2025
Dr H Reflections 