He Is Able

There are many scientific tests to determine the intelligence of animals. Quite a few respond to training as an enjoyable challenge. Cats are not among those. Just thought I’d get that in first, as one is sitting on my legs ignoring my attempts to entice her.

Dogs, horses, porpoises – all enjoy human interaction. Some are more dangerous than others, perhaps simply because of their size and habits. Training incidents with orcas come to mind. Beautiful creatures, but great care must be taken when working with them. It is necessary to understand their instincts, their expectations and their desires.

What makes us different? Interacting with other people requires much the same – understanding their background, their expectations, their desires, their plans. Are these not similar in working with trainable animals?

For the majority of the world’s population, a deity is responsible for the differences between animals and mankind. It’s not only the physical attributes that apply, such as walking upright, opposable thumb or brain function. Deities provided a connection between them and their creations.

For Christians there is a huge difference. God created man in His image.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27 KJV)

Thinking, reasoning, willful, able to relate to their creator. And, with the ability to tell Him, “No.”

That very ability is where we lose some people. They cannot understand that God allows people to make mistakes, to exercise their own will, though we have examples from the very first of creation. Eve’s disobedience is repeated throughout history. Every succeeding child since then has disobeyed. The miracle is that God continues to look upon us as being acceptable of redemption. That He not only gave us the opportunity to live, but to live with Him eternally.

Some look upon this gift with disdain. They look upon this life without value, therefore the eternal one must be useless, too. Some look upon this life as filled only with pain, not believing there is also purpose. Others cannot grasp the possibility that life exists beyond the physical. The reasoning behind rejecting God is myriad. The reasoning for accepting Him is spiritual.

God created us in His image. God is spiritual.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12 KJV)

God has given us so very much, but to me the greatest gift was Himself, that we might be reconciled, and the ability to recognize this truth. Recognizing that God is able, and has exercised His ability.

And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20 KJV)

As always, Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15 KJV)

Shamu with Trainer, July, 2004 (Wiki Commons)