Baby Elephants and the Faithfulness of God

 

"Since my youth, God, You have taught me,
and to this day I declare Your marvelous deeds.
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare Your power to the next generation,
Your mighty acts to all who are to come.
Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
You who have done great things.
Who is like You, God?
Though You have made me see troubles,
many and bitter,
You will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
You will again bring me up.
You will increase my honour
and comfort me once more."
Psalm 71:17-20

Not sure why this picture came to mind this morning, all random-like. Perhaps it's because I'm thinking ahead to the time Abby and I will spend in Thailand together this summer, and her hope that perhaps we might encounter an elephant while we're there.

This was a prickly little fellow. I always thought elephant skin might be softer somehow, like leather. But they are bristly, like your Grandad's cheek when you were two and didn't want to give him a kiss goodbye.

Cute though. The baby elephant, not your Grandad (although your Gramma may disagree).

And here's where all this is taking me this morning.

If, as a child, or a teenager, or even as a young adult, I could have seen this picture, and understood the context and the journey undertaken, and the enormity of blessing it entails, why I'm in Thailand and who I'm with, and that one day I would be planning to travel there with my 18 year old granddaughter...

...I simply wouldn't believe it.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined the life I have now. This, this right now, is a far, far better story than I could have written for myself.

There's been a lot along the way that has been unexpectedly prickly, for sure. A lot that seems to have no explanation, no purpose. But the story is also full of hope and redemption and beauty and joy.

So I guess this is Tuesday's testimony, my declaration of the faithfulness of God. And while I seem to have inherited my Dad's side of things in terms of late-onset-greying (for what that's worth) I am approaching my 67th birthday in a matter of days. Apparently some think that's 'old.' Whatever. I've got too much to do to spend any time worrying about the age thing.

Hope your day is full of 'baby elephant' moments.