Scripture
"The Philistines said, "If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the LORD has brought this great disaster on us..." [So] They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves. They placed the ark of the LORD on the cart... Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left" (1 Samuel 6:8, 10-11).
Observation
I want to introduce a new phrase into our vocabulary.
Innocent Contrasts.
They're all around us. This is when heaven turns up the contrast knob on your life so you can see things a bit more clearly. It shuts out the grey and increases the clarity. It may come gift wrapped in plain, everyday wrappings. It could even be delivered by a child.
A 2-year-old child innocently walks into the room of two parents arguing over something trivial, and with childlike purity, says, "Daddy, I love you." And "Mommy can I have a drink of water? I'm thirsty."
All of a sudden, you remember what is important and what is not. Innocent contrasts.
You stop to visit an accident victim in the ICU, who's on the edge of life and death. When you walk out, all your problems seem so trivial in contrast to his.
God simply places these contrasts in our lives to tutor us. Heaven's reminders. Gentle but stark, tender yet tough. Designed to enter our hearts... dividing the important from the unimportant. It wakes us up. It restores the precision of simplicity.
Innocent Contrasts.
They're all around us. This is when heaven turns up the contrast knob on your life so you can see things a bit more clearly. It shuts out the grey and increases the clarity. It may come gift wrapped in plain, everyday wrappings. It could even be delivered by a child.
A 2-year-old child innocently walks into the room of two parents arguing over something trivial, and with childlike purity, says, "Daddy, I love you." And "Mommy can I have a drink of water? I'm thirsty."
All of a sudden, you remember what is important and what is not. Innocent contrasts.
You stop to visit an accident victim in the ICU, who's on the edge of life and death. When you walk out, all your problems seem so trivial in contrast to his.
God simply places these contrasts in our lives to tutor us. Heaven's reminders. Gentle but stark, tender yet tough. Designed to enter our hearts... dividing the important from the unimportant. It wakes us up. It restores the precision of simplicity.
Application
Now ... Cows that obey God.
Now here's an innocent contrast for you. It teaches us a huge lesson on obedience. The Philistines know that the ark needs to be returned, and they strap it to some milk cows, turn them loose, and watch if God will tell them the direction to the camp of the Israelites.
And to increase the measure of difficulty, their calves were penned up. Now, let's see if they return the ark to where it belongs! No mother cow would leave her young and embark on a journey. But even mother cows know the ways of God better than proud Philistines. Even animals obey God better than we do.
We find these contrasts in the New Testament as well. The disciples were grumbling about noisy children exuberantly welcoming a King on His donkey.
"Tell them to be quiet!" His disciples chided. "But Jesus answered, "I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!" -Luke 19:40.
Stones that sing? ? Hardened earth turned wildly joyous? A divine rock concert? Even stones will obey if people do not.
The heavens declare His glory. The mountains bow down. The rivers clap their hands. Isn't it time that we, who are created in His image, do the same?
Now here's an innocent contrast for you. It teaches us a huge lesson on obedience. The Philistines know that the ark needs to be returned, and they strap it to some milk cows, turn them loose, and watch if God will tell them the direction to the camp of the Israelites.
And to increase the measure of difficulty, their calves were penned up. Now, let's see if they return the ark to where it belongs! No mother cow would leave her young and embark on a journey. But even mother cows know the ways of God better than proud Philistines. Even animals obey God better than we do.
We find these contrasts in the New Testament as well. The disciples were grumbling about noisy children exuberantly welcoming a King on His donkey.
"Tell them to be quiet!" His disciples chided. "But Jesus answered, "I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!" -Luke 19:40.
Stones that sing? ? Hardened earth turned wildly joyous? A divine rock concert? Even stones will obey if people do not.
The heavens declare His glory. The mountains bow down. The rivers clap their hands. Isn't it time that we, who are created in His image, do the same?
Prayer
Lord, Your innocent contrasts are all around us. Help us to be instructed by them. Reminded by them. Corrected by them. Please teach me to be like the rivers that clap their hands and rocks that refuse to be silent. Or heavens that declare Your glory... just by their consistency and predictability, they remind us of yours.
And I have never asked this before... I have been called this [gu-gu], but never asked this... make me more like those cows.
In Jesus name, Amen.
And I have never asked this before... I have been called this [gu-gu], but never asked this... make me more like those cows.
In Jesus name, Amen.
