A friend at Southwestern Seminary had invited me out to the ranch where he was living and taking care of the owner’s Longhorns. I was excited to see these massive creatures up close. He asked if I wanted to help feed them. Always up for an adventure, I said “yes.” He demonstrated how to take a bale of hay through the barn door and scatter it in front of these docile but extra-large hungry beasts. So, I grabbed a bale by the twine and as I was about to get out the barn door the twine snapped, and the hay exploded just inside the door. Well, I learned that hungry longhorns don’t understand that they are not allowed in the barn even if there is food on the ground. So, in my ignorance, I literally grabbed the cow by the horns and headed it back out the door. Surprisingly, it stayed just outside the door as I kicked the hay toward him and his herd mates. My friend said, “I can’t believe you just did that.” He knew that the cow could have easily slung me into the loft if it was so inclined, without even trying. I guess I was just lucky he was hungry and not hangry. They say ignorance is bliss, unless of course it is just ignorance. What you don’t know can hurt you.
The Apostle Paul was worried about the early church and reminded them that he and his friends were praying for their knowledge and wisdom of spiritual truths. He says, in Col. 1:9-14 “ For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” So before you take the “bull by the horns,” pray for knowledge and wisdom so you can “live a life worthy of the Lord.”
Hang in there people! God is glad to be with us! I’m praying for us all!
