THE LOWING COW

When I thought about a title for this article, I knew that whoever found themselves reading it would probably have some different ideas come to their mind. I thought that some might even think that it could be a light hearted piece. In this particular case, nothing could be farther from the truth.

I attend, what some might call, a small country church in Northwest Oregon. The church is located a few miles outside of town and is adjacent to a working dairy farm. The sounds, and yes, the smells of the dairy farm often welcome the believers who gather together for edification and fellowship here. Welcome is probably not the correct word to use in this case, as it is often the smell of the dairy farm that can be present at our various meeting times.

Our church has a men’s group that meets Saturday mornings for prayer and bible study. I believe the hour or so that we spend together is often one of the best times shared in the word for the men as they look to the “wonderful words of life”. I had been thinking of a particular topic to write about all week but I have struggled with putting it into words. That topic will now wait until a later date, in part because I heard a dairy cow lowing in the field today.

We have been studying in the book of 1st Timothy and this morning our pastor was leading us in a study of the 6th chapter, verses 14-16 which reads as follows; “that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and the Lord of lords; who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.” Our study and discussion was focused on His sovereignty and His Kingship, His Lordship and His possession of immortality. We rejoiced together in our position and hope that we find in Him!

As our bible study time together had come to an end, our pastor led us into a time of closing prayer. As we prayed together there was a quietness to the morning. The voices of the men who chose to pray were the only sounds I heard as we sat around an arrangement of tables praying. And then I heard the lowing cow and my mind began to think of the Sovereign One we had been considering during our time of study. I became mindful that He could hear the lowing cow also. When I would later leave the church and drive back home, He would still be able to hear the cow when I could not.

I was quickly reminded that the Lord could hear and see so much more. He is omnipresent and omniscient. I began to sense a burden for the other things that He was aware of as we sat praying with little to distract us but ourselves and a lowing cow. He could hear the cries of the children around the world who were hurting and hungry this morning. He could see the terrified look on the faces of men, women and children around the world who live in fear of their lives or the lives of those they love. He could see the multitude of broken hearts and He was keenly aware of the feelings of emptiness and despair of so many millions. For me the lowing cow was a reminder to pray for others.

I am not suggesting a “different” or a “social” gospel because there is only one message of hope. The message of the cross, Christ and Him crucified, is the good news that we have been entrusted with. I am suggesting that sometimes we need to be reminded to pray for others. As Paul wrote to Timothy in 1st Timothy 2:1, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men”.

Heavenly Father, thank you for using your word and even a lowing cow to speak to my heart. Help me; help us, to remember and pray for others. Help us to be good stewards of the gospel. Use us to tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love; a love that was demonstrated on Calvary for the whole world to see. Thank you for being “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and the Lord of lords; who alone possesses immortality”.

Greg Engebretson