Thursday, August 23, 2012

i see people in the cows... and God in the feed truck

one of my newer jobs lately has been to help pug feed up the cows we are going to work.  the purpose of this is to get them all in one place.  that in turn makes it easier for us to round them up and take them to the nearest cow pen.  we feed them at night for a few days to get them used to it and then the night before we shut a bunch of gates to keep them all in one pasture.  another one of our "methods to the madness".  last night i got to drive a really cool tractor out to watch pug feed the cows.  the tractor was just in case the feed truck got stuck because of all the rain and the pastures are pretty soaked.  luckily he  did not get stuck but i really did enjoy driving this huge tractor.  lots of levers and gadgets.  looked like an airplane cockpit.  and it drove oh so very nice.  not what i am used to.  as i watched pug drive out into the pasture i was amazed at the cows who came running.  no matter how far away they were they  came running from all directions... made me think of God and his people.  the feed truck made me think of God.  it carries food, something essential to the cows life.  something essential enough that they cannot live without it.  they still need other things to stay healthy like grass, medicine, and water but food is really important. just like we need wealth, health, family, friends and so forth, but it is God that we truly cannot live without.   i saw the quickest running cows as the"on- fire" christians.  they stopped what they were doing as soon as they saw and heard the feed truck.  no hesitation, no doubts, no fears.  they were coming like it was a natural instinct.  just like breathing.   i saw the slower more laid back  cows as the "luke - warm" christians.  they were not in such a hurry, taking their time but still getting to what they knew they needed.  i saw the calves as the "new christians." they were a little more skiddish, somewhat fearful, but still following the crowd because they wanted to know more.  they were kind of curious and "hungry" for something new.  there were a few calves that ran right up with their mommas and that reminded me of all the good, christian mommas i have known and many i still know who make it a priority to teach their children about God.  i saw the older, weaker, injured cows as the "elder christians."  no matter what the problem they were still going to the truck.  they would hobble, stumble, drag themselves, nothing was going to stop them.   they knew that what the truck had to offer was worth the trouble of getting there.  and then there are those few that think they do not need the feed.  that the grass will sustain them.  that they have all the answers and think they know all about cow life.  they just watch as the others go to the truck.  these bring to my mind the "lost souls."  these are the ones we need to reach out to.  on the farm we can get behind them and push them up and make them go with the other cows. easy enough.   in real life i sometimes wish we could do that with people.  just grab them up and push them into christianity.  but we all know that does not work.  no amount of force will work.  however,  we can reach out, and share our stories, and try to show them the way--- but they have to make that choice to give their heart completely.   i loved watching this unfold before me.  i see God everywhere, especially in all His wonders of nature.  Anyone who sees these kinds of things and still doesn't believe just boggles my mind.  it is possible to see God in everything.  sometimes it is as easy as opening our eyes.

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