The Dog, the Elephant, and God's Timing

Photo by virtualwayfarer on flickr (cc)

I heard an excellent sermon this morning from Rev. Emmaunel Pewa at Bishop Baughman Memorial UMC’s Steward’s Union 35th Anniversary Thanksgiving service.  In it Rev. Pewa shared this story.  It spoke to me enough that I think it needs to be shared.  I’ve modified it some to fit the blog.

It’s the story of a dog and an elephant who get pregnant at the same time.  They each begin to grow and their respective babies begin to form.  But the dog’s belly gets big quickly and she gives birth to a litter of six perfect puppies about two months later.  The elephant is still carrying her baby.

A few weeks later the dog gets pregnant again.  She grows and grows and, after a few months, gives birth to a litter of nine this time.  All the while the elephant is still pregnant; still waiting for her young to come.

Not too long after the dog gets pregnant a third time and a third time gives birth to a litter of perfect puppies.  And the elephant…she still waits for the time to come to deliver her baby.

The dog sees this and is curious.  So she goes to the elephant and asks why it’s taking her so long to have her baby when already there are three litters of puppies delivered and fine.

The elephant smiles and tells the dog that her puppies are perfect puppies.  But she will give birth to something so grand that the ground will shake when it walks.  And that kind of work takes time.

That baby elephant did come.  In it's own time.

So whatever new life you’re waiting for, just know that sometimes the best things take the longest.  The timing of it will be yours and no one else’s.  And even that is the grace of God.