In my weekly Works & Wonders column, I combine a brief devotional with other interesting, uplifting, and enjoyable bits and pieces I gleaned throughout the week. I hope you enjoy this week’s collection! It includes:
- Worthy of Our Awe
- Seashells by X-Ray
- The Last Bell Maker
- The Photo Ark
- Psalms, Vol. 3
- Cheetah Cub Cam
1.
Worthy of Our Awe
We understand that God is wise—that his perfect knowledge leads to perfect wisdom. Yet this is merely a partial description of God, for he is far more than that. As A.W. Pink tells us, “We cannot have a right conception of God unless we think of him as all-powerful, as well as all-wise.” If God had the will to bring about the best results and if he had wisdom to know how to best accomplish his will, yet lacked the power to accomplish it, he could hardly be God. In fact, he would be little more than a human being, for we often have good desires and good plans, yet no ability to actually bring them about. For God to be worthy of our awe, worthy of our praise, worthy of our deepest devotion, he must have power that none can contain, interrupt, or diminish. For just as God has a will that is able to resolve and determine what he deems good, he also has the power to execute it—to ensure that his will is done on earth, as it is in heaven.
2.
Seashells by X-Ray
Photography site PetaPixel has an article about Jim Wehtje, who “is an American photographer and radiographic artist known for using X-rays to reveal the hidden internal structures of natural objects, particularly plants, flowers, and seashells.” You can see the results at PetaPixel or visit Wehtje’s site. His work reminds me that there is so much beauty, order, and design in this world beyond what the natural eye can see!
3.
The Last Bell Maker
This is a neat story from The Guardian. “In the 18th century, Youssef Gabriel, a local metalworker, was secretly making and equipping Arab revolutionaries with rifles to assist their revolt against the Ottoman empire, which controlled Lebanon at the time. Then, one day, a Russian engineer came to the Lebanese town of Beit Chabab to make a church bell. Gabriel, intrigued, shadowed the man and picked up the process on sight.” Centuries later, the family continues to make church bells—the last business in Lebanon to do so.
4.
The Photo Ark
The Photo Ark is an amazing project dreamed up by Joel Sartore. Essentially, he is taking photos of 25,000 species of animals living in the world’s zoos, aquariums, and wildlife sanctuaries. Not only that, but he is taking these photos against a plain black or white background to ensure the creatures really stand out.
The best place to see the results, which are stunning, of course, is on Instagram, Facebook, or Sartore’s site. You can also buy his various books.
5.
Psalms, Vol. 3
Shane & Shane had a couple of noteworthy releases this week. The foremost is their album Psalms, Vol. 3, which, as you may surmise from the title, continues their series of albums based on the Psalms. I gave it a couple of listens and think you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
The second release is an hour-long concert from Worship Together that features some of their favorite songs.
6.
Cheetah Cub Cam
Who hasn’t wanted to watch a cheetah mom caring for her cubs? Here’s good news: “The Cheetah Cub Cam takes you inside the den of Zura, a 5-year-old cheetah. Her five cubs were born Oct. 5, 2026, at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia.” You (and your kids) can watch it here.
