Elephant Grieving

 Again I have been enlightened from Psalm 103 by Mark Guy Pearse. (1842-1930; Cornish Methodist preacher)"Who satisfieth thy mouth (ornament, spirit) with good things;"He suggests that in all the kingdom of living beings man alone is dissatisfied, and most seriously so. He may surpass other creatures in reasoning power, use of tools, communication, team work, creativity, joy, grief and other emotions. He has shown himself to have dominion over much of his environment, making it serve his purposes. But he remains a searcher with a need which cannot be satisfied by the things around him. He is after the goodness of God.

Pearse reminds us that this is the image (reflection) in which Adam was formed, which reflection was lost in large part in the Fall. It is as if the heart of man universally cries somewhere within, " I shall be satisfied when I awake with His likeness."

Now hear Pearse: "Think then- If there should come to thee One who knows thee through and through- all the past, every secret thought and wish standing out in hideous nakedness before Him, and Who yet loves thee, loves thee through and through, loves thee with a love that endured all shame and suffering for thy sake; surely such true love were earth's best treasure. Think- If He should be able to loose thee from that past, if knowing all thy frailty and folly He yet could help thee and help thee perfectly. If amidst thy low and selfish thoughts He could bring His truth, so that it should reign within thee more and more; if He could bring into thy impatience and hatred His own love and gentleness; if He could gird thee with courage, and gladden thee with hope, and fill thee with faith- should not that go far to complete thy satisfaction? Think again- If He should know thee with all thy hidden faculties and powers, all that thou canst ever come to be, and He should say unto thee: "Soul, I can develop, I can uplift, I can transform until the life of perfect goodness is thine." What then?

He is come- As many as received Him (Jesus), to them gave He power to become the sons of God."

(Picture of elephant "grieving".)