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Visit our new blog. It lists all the new things that we are doing and what new material has been added to our site. We even list new missionaries who sign up with us for technical support so you can pray for them. FCM News

Rattle Your Hocks

 “Hurry up, get a move on”

(excerpted from Cowboy Devotion)

by Ky M. Bishop

2 Peter 3:8-9

8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (NASU)

Tye had one more day before he reached the ranch with his small herd of cattle. He had been gone now for 5 days and the solitude of communion with cows, cactus and critters was wearing on him. He couldn’t believe it, but he was actually anxious to return to the bunk house to hear the non stop fussing and raring of Pappy Jack and the other cowboys.

However, before he was able to head home, he was forced to give the cattle a grazing day. This was a day to allow the herd to relax, fatten up and rest before the last drive home. This was a very important day for his small herd because when they arrived back at the ranch, they would be assimilated into the larger herd of about 3000 head and then the long drive to market would begin.

Tye decided to move the cattle to a little valley where the grass was knee high and where he could go up on a ridge and guard them while they grazed. As he was pushing them along toward the valley, Slow Poke Sally, a multi colored, multi bred, straggler of a cow, began her customary rebelliousness and decided that she would graze right where she was.

Sally had been his nemesis from the very beginning. She had a mind of her own, and could not catch the concept that she was part of a herd. If Tye drove the herd left, she went right. If he drove the herd right, she went left. If he stopped, she kept on going. She was always on a different time table than he and the rest of the herd.

As Sally stopped for the fifth time, Tye screamed at her, “rattle your hocks Sally, you are as slow as molasses and as stubborn as a mule”. Of course, his conversation with her had little to no effect but with a little coaxing, they finally made it to their grazing position.

Tye went up the hill to a small ridge and began the long boring job of watching his little herd graze. As he looked out over the valley, he could literally see for miles. Beautiful pasture land, hills, streams, rock formations, scrub oaks and blue skies lay before him as though they had been hand positioned.

There were days in his haste to complete his job that he failed to see the beauty of God’s creation. As he looked out over this beautiful landscape, he was suddenly amazed at how patient God must have been as He was creating this perfect environment. He was awestruck with the thought that this same God that created this beauty with such patient perfection was patiently waiting for him to surrender his life.

At 27 he felt that he had way too much living to do to be saddled with the pressures of religion. However, looking out over the beauty of God’s creation, he realized that God was not calling him to religion, but instead was calling him to relationship.

Today’s scripture reminds us that God is patiently waiting for us to awaken to the reality of His presence. He is patiently motivating us into position to help us recognize His plan for our lives and then waiting for the right moment to invite us into His herd.

God is not slow about His promise, but His desire is that all should come to repentance and then to step into the intimacy of relationship with the Creator of the universe. It is His desire that not even one of His herd be lost along the trail. He is jealous for us all.

Of course, the only trail to the Father is through His Son, Jesus Christ. He has made it so simple and clear that even a Slow Poke Sally can find it. However, don’t be dilly dallying, rattle your hocks and head on home to the Father today.

All Glory and Honor to God