SEA HIM A PURE HEART by Christa Jewett, Marine Biologist Drifting along the ocean’s surface, I spotted a familiar shape on the seafloor below: a heart urchin skeleton. As I carefully reached down to grab it, God used it to remind me how His Creation offers wonderful illustrations of His tale of love for mankind. Heart urchins are a species of marine animal that can be found hiding in the sediment of shallow, coastal ocean waters. The lesser-known cousins of sea urchins, sea stars, and sand dollars, their name is inspired by their vaguely heart-shaped bodies. Once a heart urchin dies, their skeleton, also known as a test, is left behind and can be a treasured find for beachgoers and marine collectors. In an area where I frequently dive, it is not uncommon to find heart urchin tests nestled in between the rubble of the rocky seafloor.
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