Almost a month ago I mentioned April the giraffe who was expected to give birth to her calf at any moment. Well, it looks like that “moment” could be any moment now! Thinking about giraffes led me to consider our sermon series, “Impossible Possibilities.”
Did you know that the length of 6 feet is a common theme with giraffes? 6 feet is the average length of a giraffe’s neck. 6 feet is the average height of a newborn giraffe. 6 feet is the average length of a giraffe’s legs which means that since they give birth standing up – that newborn calf will drop 6 feet to the ground upon delivery (what a welcome into the world!)
Did you know that they are the tallest mammals on the planet but that their necks are still too short to reach the ground to drink water?
Did you know that a typical gestation period for a giraffe is 14-15 months? (The longest gestation period of any mammal is that of the African elephant at 22 months!)
Did you know that more than a million people have checked in at one time or another to April the Giraffe’s webcam?
All of these seem almost impossible to me. But the greatest impossibility is the fact that I can have new life. My mistakes can be forgiven, my failures do not have to hold me back, and despite my shortcomings – I can make a difference in the world. There is evidence for the impossible possibility of new life all around – trees are starting to bloom after a harsh thunderstorm, the brown grass of winter is transforming to green, there are new colts running in the field, and fresh rain to restore the earth. New life seems to be God’s running theme. When you look at the spotted pattern of a newborn giraffe, it is as unique to that calf as our fingerprints are to us. And so is the new life that God brings to us. We may need rest or refreshment, joy or peace, opportunities or change – but rest assured, the new life that God brings will meet our deepest needs. So embrace spring – embrace joy – embrace a fresh beginning. And just like April the Giraffe (hopefully) embrace new life today!
