Sunday, January 29, 2012

Animals Teach Us So Much

“Ask the animals and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.” -- Job 12:7

The newborn black calf was lost. He didn’t know where his mama was. He didn’t even know for sure who his mama was. He only knew he was hungry and standing in mud and water.

So I reached down and rubbed him. He leaned against me. I comforted him as best I could. Then we headed toward his mama -- and his twin. This new mama was overwhelmed. She understood that she had two babies. I was thankful for that. But she didn’t know what to do with one, much less two.

I asked God to please help us get the mama and her two babies around to a pen. He did. I tried to give the little one who got lost a bottle. It didn’t work out too well. His mama appeared to step on him just before that. She’s didn’t mean to. I pray she didn’t hurt him. I finally left the little family, with plenty of food and water for mama.

Some things are just in God’s hands. I know my heart will break if the little calf doesn’t make it. But I also know that only God can save him. I can do my part. I can prepare bottles and feed the calves. I can feed their mama. But I can’t make them strong enough to survive. That’s in God’s hands.

“For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of all humanity.” -- Job 12:10

Animals can teach us so much about life, about dealing with heartache and hope and promise. And animals can teach us how little we really can control about our world and those we love. We are all at God’s mercy. He cares for us and we call out to Him. But the choice is His.

I was tempted to bring this little fellow who needed nourishment to the house with me. I grew up bottle-feeding calves. I know how to do that. I figured he could stay in the backyard with the two dogs. Except our older dog is sick with cancer and I knew she couldn’t handle the added stress of a newborn.

So I chose the needs of one over the needs of another. I wonder how often God has to do that. He cares for all His children but what happens when we both want the same thing and there’s only one thing to go around? He has to choose. How hard that must be, to allow one child’s heart to be broken even as another celebrates.

I am thankful that I don’t have to make the choices that God makes every day. I’m thankful that He is in charge. And I’m so grateful that God will watch over that mama cow and her babies tonight. I pray that He’ll strengthen that little family and that all three will thrive in the coming days. They are in His hands and He cares for them, just as He cares for me and you.