by Jerry Senn
“I read an article about a man known as “Snowflake Bentley.” Let me share a few lines, ‘Wilson (Willie) Bentley (1865-1931) was born on a farm in Jericho, Vermont … (an area with) an average annual snowfall of over 120 inches.’”
“At age 15 he began drawing snowflakes while looking at them through a microscope – no easy task because most of them melted before he could complete a drawing. At age 16 he learned about a camera that could be used with a microscope. His parents saved the money and when Willie was 17 they bought him a camera. It took him over a year of failures before he finally achieved his goal – a photograph of a snowflake, the first one ever taken>” (Acts and Facts, 12/20/2011, from a sermon by David Pratte).
Bentley eventually made thousands of such pictures for universities and science magazines.
“At age 66 Bentley published a large … book of his photographs titled Snow ‘Crystals’ … Less than two weeks after his book was published, he walked six miles home in a snowstorm, caught pneumonia, and died two weeks later.”
So, with this incredible irony, the man who devoted most of his life to the study of snow, ultimately died from walking in a snowstorm!
One of many lessons we learn from snow is, only God can create a snowflake. Bentley said: the ‘wonders of God’s handiwork are found in the tiniest of all he made. One powerful example of this is the intricate design of a snow crystal.’” None that have been photographed are exactly alike. Which is also true of us, we’re all amazingly unique creations of God.
In the ancient book of Job, chapter 38, God responded to Job by describing different aspects of creation that prove His right to control the universe. In verse 22, God asks, “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow?”
Man has no right to control the universe or to criticize God’s control of it, because we did not make it and could not make it. Snow is one of the many proofs that God created our universe.
Let’s celebrate the wonders of our God!!!