One of my favorite times on our farm is when we turn the animals out to fresh pasture in the Spring. Our sheep and cows have been in the back pasture eating hay all winter. Any sprig of grass that popped up this spring would quickly be eaten by them. With two horses, nine cows, and five sheep there wasn’t any hope for the grass to grow early this Spring. So we have been feeding hay until this past Monday. On Monday, we moved the cows and sheep out to fresh pasture. For the last several weeks they have been mooing at us whenever we stepped outside. They weren’t satisfied with the amount of hay we were giving, nor constantly staring at the green grass on the other side of the fence. They rarely laid around, often walking around hoping for fresh grass.
But on Monday, they went out to fresh grass. They haven’t mooed at us since then. They pay us little attention and seem to be so content. They have rested in the sun and thoroughly enjoyed the grass.
Two thoughts I would like to make from this story.
- Contentment – You have often heard the words from Psalm 23 – “He makes me to lie down in green pastures.” I think I understand this concept better after witnessing my animals. They are satisfied and filled with contentment and peace. They love lying down in the green pastures with the cool spring air flowing over them. No flies or pests to bother them yet. It is the picture of peace and contentment. They went from complaining and searching to joy and satisfaction. You and I need to “lie down in green pastures” too. We need to realize how blessed we are! Contentment must be chosen by the attitude we take to our blessings and the choices we make to rest.
- Daily Bread and the Lord – The grass wasn’t as tall as I had hoped, so I told them to spread it out over the week they will be in the spot. Do you think they listened? They only worry about their “daily bread.” They don’t worry about tomorrow, but focus on the problems of today (Mat. 6:34). The animals are under my control and I give them more grass. They can’t truly get it on their own, but depend upon me (hence the mooing!). I think this is the concept Jesus was discussing in the model prayer. To a people who didn’t store up weeks of food and have large bank accounts they could unload at the local restaurant or grocery, these people had to struggle every day to get their bread. Jesus is teaching in the prayer, and in the sermon of the mount, that true disciples trust God to provide. They are grateful for their daily bread. They trust the Lord will provide more tomorrow. Our cows and sheep are following that more closely that I often do. They eat today and trust their will be more tomorrow. Me, as their owner has to worry about how to get them more. We need to apply that to our relationship with God. We need to work and serve today and trust God to provide in the future.
