Lessons From a Momma Cow

Seven years ago, we moved from a subdivision out to the country side. It was a dream come true for my family. We were surrounded by trees on two sides and cows on one side of our property. I have always wanted cows, but living by them would have to be suffice. I could see them and interact with them, but without all the work. Pretty good set up I thought. I am not sure how many people sit and watch cows, but they can be quite comical. I love watching God’s creation just do what it was meant to do. They never worry or fret about what the next day will hold, they just live out each day as they should.

One particular day I just kept hearing this momma cow bellow out. I finally went outside to see what all the ruckus was about. She was looking towards the back field and every few minutes, she would let out another “Moo”. Not getting a response back, she would take a few worrisome steps forward. This wasn’t your normal “Moo”, this was starting to be a frantic, stressful “Moo”. I watched her as she would take a few steps toward the back pasture, bellow out another sound, and wait patiently. This went on for 10-15 minutes. Finally, I guess her patience had come to an end and she took off galloping towards the direction she had kept looking. I could tell this was no joyful stroll. She was on a mission.  She disappeared for awhile and the next time I saw her, she was coming up from the back field. Her gallop had turned into a confident stroll heading towards the front pasture. There along side of her was a small calf. Just doting along with its mother. I just giggled as I watched them heading my way. I am pretty sure in her own way, she gave that little fellow a stern, but loving warning. Listen to my voice little one and I will keep you safe.

God has always used his creation to speak to my heart. As I was chuckling about the situation, I thought of my role as a mother. I too, have called for my children, only to have to go searching for them. And I too, like that momma cow, was not happy as I was heading their way. It made me also think of my relationship with my heavenly Father. My, how many times have I wandered away from him, only to have him call and call for me to come back. It is not out of anger or disappointment that he speaks my name, but out of love and protection. His call has always been a soft whisper, never an angry shout. Just like that momma was looking after her baby’s safety, God knows that when I wander from him, I am just setting myself up for trouble to come knocking on my door. He gently speaks my name and nudges my heart, but oftentimes I am resistant. I want to do what the flesh wants to do and majority of the time that is the opposite of what we are called to do as Christians. That baby calf still has a lot to learn as he grows and gets older, but you would think that I would know better. I just turned 45 this year, have been a Christian for 33 years, but yet I am still prone to stray.

I have realized that it is a daily choice we must make. To choose God, or to choose self. It doesn’t come natural once you become a Christian. Yes, you have a greater desire to know him and draw closer to him, but just like the seasons we have in our weather, our Christian walk will also have seasons. I have went through periods of time when my fire for the Lord was blazing high, and other times when it feels like just an ember barely putting out the faintest glow.  I am so thankful that no matter how many times we may stray away from God, he will still draw us back home. We just have to listen and heed his calling. He loves us, and he wants us to live abundantly. He knows what our future holds and will try to protect us all he can, but at some point, we have to recognize that we have a part to play in that. We have choices to make. Every single choice we make has consequences. Good or bad.  I pray that when I start to veer off in the wrong direction, that I can become more attentive to God’s voice and recognize the impact of the decisions I am making, are they drawing me closer to my Creator or farther away? A lot of times it happens in little steps, we are not even aware of what we are doing. The next thing we know, there is a great distance felt between us and God, but guess what? He isn’t the one who moved. We are.  

To this day, I can recall the visual of seeing that momma calling out to her calf just wanting to make sure it was okay. She was upset and frantic when her baby wouldn’t communicate back to her. I can’t help but think how God watches me each day and my actions leave him with his hands on his hips, shaking his head. He calls for me, but I just keep walking the other way. He pleads for me to turn around and seek him and his ways, but yet I ignore the tugging on my heart. Daily, God is beckoning us to call upon him. To seek him. To spend time with him. Not just to hear our long list of complaints or needs, but because he loves us and we are his. No matter how old our children get, we still want to hear from them and in the same way, God wants to hear from us. I have had many conversations with him. Some in the form of prayers. Others in words of praise and worship. Some were just quiet moments spoken with my tears. When frustrations overwhelm me, or my worries are mounting high, I have to stop and just surrender them to him. I have often told my kids as well that God can handle our anger too. Sometimes we cannot help but get mad at the things going on around us. If it angers us, imagine how much it must upset him. He can help take that anger away and replace it with peace and perspective. I know he already knows all things, but he wants to hear it from us. Being obedient to the call of casting all cares upon him. When we talk to him, whether out loud or from within, we make a connection with him. It helps us to grow in our relationship with him. The less we talk to him, the harder it is to hear him when he speaks to us or calls our name. The more we spend time investing in our relationship with him, the louder his voice will become in our life. He is our faithful guide and will not lead us astray. I encourage you to communicate daily with God and open your ears and heart for the words he has for you.

Keep moving forward,

Hayley W