A long time ago... early in our marriage... we rented a house out in the country. The owners of the house were farmers. They lived in a beautiful house a few miles away. The little house we rented from them sat on a few acres where they kept some black Anges cows. Now, I was never a big fan of cows and these cows I grew to thoroughly despise! They got out quite frequently and we would have to chase them down and get them back in the pen. One particular time these ornery devils got out and Doug and I had gotten them all in... except one. This particular one was a young bull. He wasn't quite huge yet but he was still a bull. This guy decided to be a thorn in my flesh and took off in the opposite direction of the pen. For some reason Doug stayed and closed the gate on the rest and I was the one who went after this raging, black, stubborn cow. I remember walking out to the field with a big stick in my hand. I rounded the corner and this guy was looking right at me and we had a stare down.... and then he charged... right at me. Yes, he did the stomping of his foot and CHARGED. As he was running toward me and coming fast... did I run? NO! For some reason all the anger that was pent up inside me caused my feet to be planted firmly in the ground. As he got closer and didn't let up on his speed I took my stick in my two hands and raised it out in front of me and said in a very loud voice "NO!".... and he stopped... just a few inches in front of me. We looked at each other and then he calmly turned and walked back to the pen where he belonged (and I'm pretty sure he had his tail between his legs). I followed him back to the pen and was very happy to see him locked up again. I knew that day an angel had kept that bull from running me down - he probably could have killed me but I was protected...
As I was pondering on Beneniah's story today the Lord gave me a visual picture of facing a lion. This bull was probably about the same weight of a lion and he was bent on taking me down. However, he didn't win. I realized when God brought this moment back to my mind.... I wasn't afraid of that bull. That sounds crazy and yet... it's true.
Maybe God allowed that moment in my past to be a visual aide for this moment in my present as well as in my future.
I think so many times I have been afraid of things that only appear to be huge on the outside when in reality... my God is bigger and stronger and He will take care of me. He didn't let anything happen to me that day because He wanted me to see that His protection covers me. That His angels surround me and will stand in the way of the enemy when it's necessary.
How does that apply to right now? I have always been afraid of Algebra, Biology & Chemistry because I didn't do well the first time around and yet... they're just subjects. They can't hurt me and I have God to call upon for His wisdom. Afraid of being turned down for a job or position and yet... it's just a door that closes and another one will open. I pray daily for His wisdom and the clarity to hear His voice. I have been afraid of confrontation and yet... why? Because I don't want to look foolish? God will give me the words to say... and if I look foolish to some... God will be proud of me for standing up for what I believe in. His opinion is the only one that really counts! I have been afraid of sharing my faith and the fear of not saying things in the right way to get the person to believe and yet... I'm reminded that one plants the seed, another waters and another brings the harvest. All I have to do is plant the seed and God will take care of the rest.
So with this in mind... Help me to stare down the lions and the raging bulls that come across my path. Help me to remember that You will stand in the way of the enemy and that You will take care of me. Help me to run toward those things I might be afraid of rather than running away.... and give me the courage and the strength to do all that You ask of me. Again I pray the words of the gentleman last Sunday... Open my ears to hear Your voice. Open my heart to receive Your words and I would add on, open my mouth to speak Your words. Give me the courage and the strength to do all that you ask.... and always stand between me and the lion or the bull so I don't get trampled!! =)
I love you Lord and I just want to do what You want me to.
2 comments:
I wish I could remember exactly how he said it, but in church Sunday our Pastor said something to the effect that every action of God is precipitated by a human action. Like the miracle at Cana...they had to fill the jars before the water was changed into wine. Your stepping out in faith is allowing God to do His work in your life. Keep it up!
I know what you mean about not easily speaking about your faith. It's been interesting on FB because my friends are mostly a mix of my old friends and my new church friends, plus a few people who are longtime blog friends. It's a lot harder to talk about faith there than it is on here, where no one I know in real life reads it.
Having heard you recount this story the other day was a treat; but reading it in your blog truly inspires me! You are touching something special right now and He is using your life and what you're going through -- and facing -- to speak to my own heart!
Keep facing down those "bulls" that want to run you down! As you stand in the protection of God, each of them will be just as manageable as that bull was that day!
Thanks for sharing this story, but most of all thanks for sharing your heart!
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