Tahlequah

(pronounced TAH-lih-kwah)

I woke up this morning thinking about the grieving mama orca, Tahlequah. You may remember her highly publicized “Tour of Grief” in 2018. Heartbroken, she carried her dead baby girl, Tali, more than 1,000 miles over seventeen days. This story of raw grief is not uncommon in wildlife. In the same year, I read about a mother chimpanzee who also carried her stillborn baby for three days (“Stillborn”, The Journey blog). Over the years, I have read of two other chimps who did the same – one for three months and the other for seven.

The thought of Tahlequah this morning drew me into a self-reflective mood. What is God saying through this powerful, yet sensitive, grieving mother? Am I still mourning a loss, or perhaps I am still bearing the weight of dead things? Does the internal work ever end?

When I researched the biblical numerology in these sorrowful accounts, I found some remarkable and even uplifting insights.

🎺For the seventeen days of mourning, we find victory and complete triumph (10+7). Ten represents a full measure or a whole entity and completeness. Seven represents perfection, completeness, and wholeness.

🎺For the one-thousand-mile grief tour, we find divine totality (10 x 10 x 10), completeness, and perfection.

🎺For the three days and three months of carrying the dead, we find divine completeness, wholeness, and perfection.

Mind blown, overwhelmed by God’s goodness. Tears of joy and thankfulness of heart! My heavenly Father woke me this morning with a message of HOPE.

Take heart daughter, your faith has made you well.

- Matthew 9:22 ESV

Friend, while grief may be part of the story, it is only a chapter or maybe two, but it is not the final one.

Incidentally, the name Tahlequah means “just two” or “two is enough”. Imagine the two. You and Jesus walking hand-in-hand on the water of redemption and restoration as He leads you to a place of completeness, wholeness, and perfection in Him!