[martin77]

An elephant calf founders in a swamp, stuck in a muddy mire that is by the minute sucking it in. The mother, entwines her trunk to her baby's and tries to pull him out but to no avail. She appears to dispair, moving up and down the edge of the bog while her calf whines pitifully from the encompassing death. then suddenly she leaps into the swamp, places her mighty body undernearth that of the calf and in a mighty effort, heaves it out of the bog. One cheers until the realisation sets in that the mother elephant has just traded her life for that of the calf. within no time she is gone under into a muddy death.

Oh the love of a mother for her children. that even beasts of the forest would willingly trade their lives to save their children. How much more must our heavenly Father love us? What would he not do to help us? listen to Him speak in the book of Hosea (chapter 11)

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2The more I called them, the more they went from me; they kept sacrificing to the Baals, and offering incense to idols. 3Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms; but they did not know that I healed them. 4I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them. 5They shall return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to me. 6The sword rages in their cities, it consumes their oracle-priests, and devours because of their schemes. 7My people are bent on turning away from me. To the Most High they call, but he does not raise them up at all.


The image cast is powerful. that of a God who loves so much but His love is not returned. the more He calls, the more his children move away.


8 How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. 9I will not execute my fierce anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and no mortal, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath. 10They shall go after the LORD, who roars like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west. 11They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria; and I will return them to their homes, says the LORD. 12Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still walks with God, and is faithful to the Holy One.

He first decides to destroy them, then his heart recoils in horror of it. This is undisputably one of my favourite passages in the Bible. the image of God's fierce love for us. And his total heart break at our rejection of him. Yet his love and mercy are not dimmed by this, instead they grow ever more. As Jesus would later ask,

Is there greater love that a man would lay down his life for his friends?

God loves human beings more than anything else in the world. How it must break his heart to see his beloved children eating food meant for pigs, settling for scraps while His house is abound with plenty (Prodigal son)