The cattle are lowing. . .what is that?

I realize it isn't close to Christmas and it has been a long time since we have seen any white stuff  to cause me to think about Christmas, but the word cattle conjurs up all kinds of thing in my brain.  So here I am thinking about "cattle" and the 3rd verse of Away in the Manger pops up in my head.  And I have questions!!

Sing it with me. . .

The cattle are lowing
the Baby awakes
But little Lord Jesus
no crying He makes

What does a cow do when he lows?

Is that a sound they make or something they do with their hooves?

Since I have miniatures - are they low(ing) to the ground? (haha)

Is lowing something they used in the lyrics because it sounded better than "mooing"?

Does lowing have some spiritual significance?

So here it is. . .www.Dictionary.com says "to utter the deep, low sound characteristic of cattle; moo-" 


Lowing means - moooooo! 

(Just a tid bit of information not really important to this post, but did you know that this verse wasn't original to the song?  It was added by a methodist minister for a childrens program.all the way back in the early1900's.) 

According to the song, baby Jesus is awaken by this lowing sound.  Let me tell you, I have a few cows that can certainly wake up a baby!  (They have "awaken" my neighbors on numerous occasions!)  They sound more like foghorns!  Anyway, I really have a tough time believing if a baby was woke up by this lowing cow there was no crying.  I have a feeling there was bawl, bellow, blare, caterwaul, hollar, howl, jar, roar, screak, screech , shout, shriek, shrill,  (The thesaurus helped me describe what may have happened.)

See, Christ was a baby and why should we believe he did not act like a baby.  I am not getting into any theological debate on whether or not you think crying is sinful or not, but there is no denying Christ was a baby. 

So what?  What is the big deal that Christ became a baby?

Think about it this way - because God became flesh He can understand the frailties our flesh.  If you are suffering - he understands, if you are tempted - he knows, if you are feeling rejected or betrayed - he understands, if you have joy and praise on your heart - he knows.  Christ has been there. 

But more importantly be reminded. . .


 
Christ became man.  God became flesh.  Christ became a baby - fully God and fully man.  This was God's plan from the very beginning.  God needed someone in the flesh to satisfy His wrath against sin, but that person needed to be sinless - holy like Him.  Christ - fully God and fully man was the only answer.  Christ became the propitiation (big word - I know), "Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:16-18  (This should help you understand and remember what propitiation means, propitiation - wrath swollower - Christ is the wrath swollower)

Maybe the cattle and their lowing had little signficance in the song, and maybe the song itself is not very accurate, but make no mistake - it is a blessed thing to be reminded of Christ coming to earth to satify what we could not do.  In fact, it has eternal signficance!

So, the next time you hear the cattle lowing - be overjoyed and thankful to be reminded that Christ became a man to swollow God's wrath aimed for us - all for His glory!  Amen

Do you worship creation or the creator?

Our family just returned from a wonderful vacation and we saw some unbelievable sites!  We were, at times, in awe of God's incredible creation.  As I marveled in awe with so many of those gorgeous views I was reminded of our study in Romans.  "They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen" (Romans 1:25)

 

Jazi, Sandi, and Chadon on Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas

Amazingly, God created this particular island (left) by speaking nothing into beauty - stunning beauty!   

How easy then it is to sit back and begin to worship or honor His created things and not Him who created them?  Easier than you might think. 

One of the ways to define worship according to dictionary.com is "the object of adoring reverence or regard". There are cultures, religions, and people in the church who do just that out of more than just a beautiful island.  (Another post all together!)  To be honest, I fall into that temptation and sin more than I care to admit.  When we do not give all our adoring reverence or regard to our God and Creator we do the very same. 

Cozumel, Mexico

After seeing breathtaking view after breathtaking view I can understand how people were tempted to do such a thing.  


BUT, be reminded, as wonderful as God's revelation is in His creation (general revelation) is, there is something much better.  God's divine word (special revelation).  It is more sure, more perfect, and more trustworthy.  

Even creation, itself is waiting,  "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now." (Romans 8:19-20)

Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Creation, itself, will be some day be more glorious!  

Yes, by all means, marvel at God's creation and enjoy what He has created, but be careful not to worship the created things.   Instead, worship the Creator for He revealed to us His Son!  


It His Son who will some day make all things new.

"And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Also he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'” (Revelation 21:5)

Are you feeling WEAK?

I had the privilege of leading our serial reading last evening (Harvest Community Church) and wanted to post something brief about that passage.  The passage was from 2 Corinthians 12.  Paul recounts his experiences of being caught up in the third heaven or paradise "whether in the body or outside the body he does not know, but God knows".  (2 Corinthians 12:2,3)  It is impossible to even imagine what that must have been like!   It was so unbelievably amazing and fearful that he cannot tell anyone or utter anything that he has heard.  Paul didn't tell anyone about that vision or revelation for 14 years.  Paul, are you kidding?  The most unbelievable, unimanginable, and heavenly vision and you keep it a secret?

So, why now - after 14 years?

He needed the Corinthian church to understand NOT his greatness but his weakness.  God knows Paul's flesh and how easy it would have been for Paul to be puffed up and tell everyone how God had honored him by allowing him to see PARADISE.   Instead, God sent a thorn, a messenger of Satan, to keep him from being conceited.  Paul pleads 3 times for this to be removed, but praises God - yep, praises God for this weakness. When is the last time you thanked God in the circumstance you were in, even when it was something painful?
 
So, why make Paul weak?

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) 
 

Are you feeling weak?  Are you suffering physically (disease, illness, or run down), emotionally (from a spouse, a friend, or a son/daughter), financially (bad decision, loss of a job, or the economy), being painfully tempted, or phychologically (one or all the previous listed struggles)?  Are you at your weakest?  Then God is your answer - He is the only way to have strength in the time of weakness.  That's how God works!  It is all Him, and nothing to do with you!  

So, Paul understood it - wouldn't it be nice for you to say this with him . . .

"For when I am weak, then I am strong."  (2 Corinthians 12:10c)

On the sixth day. . .

Genesis 1:24-25  "And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so.  And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good."

Registered Miniature Hereford Bull - "Ace" (first Miniature to be born on the 22 Cattle Company Farm)

I am excited to introduce my first little Miniature Hereford bull calf born on the 22 Cattle Company farm. God graciously created the livestock on the sixth day - perfectly formed - for His glory.  Man was created on the same day to have dominion over the livestock. What a priviledge and responsibility God has given us.  

Fleda (KAP Prince Oscar x KAP Lady Rachel) & "Ace" (KAP Lil Kid Vance)