A Little Help Please!
How much does a normal bull weigh?
If you’re a rancher or deal with livestock, you’re probably asking, “What kind of bull?” Well, it’s the kind of bull my granddaddy would have on his tiny farm in the mountains of Virginia, out in Carroll County.
What I know about that bull’s weight is that when he stood with one hoof on my foot, I couldn’t get him to budge. My own weight and all my strength were that of a normal eight-year-old girl and it was no match for the bull.
Sometimes we get in predicaments that are bigger than we are. Can you think of a time when a situation overpowered you? Are you in that kind of dilemma now?
When that happens, we need help. We need help from someone who is stronger, more powerful, or knows more than we. We need a helper who knows what to do and we might even need for them to take the reigns and handle the situation for us, or at least help us manage it.
Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26 NKJV).
Psalm 46 is one of my favorite go-to passages when I feel overwhelmed. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even thought the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.
“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God; the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her… Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted above the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah” (Psalm 46 NKJV).
I loved following Granddaddy around, especially when it involved his animals. Milking the cow was my favorite thing—or maybe it was letting a calf suck my finger. When milking, I never could get a long loud “bing” sound when the cow’s milk hit an empty metal bucket, like Granddaddy could. And the barn cat was out of luck if it was me trying to squirt milk into his mouth. He didn’t appreciate the milk covering his feet or grazing the top of his head.
On this particular morning I went with Granddaddy out to feed the bull. As Granddaddy poured grain into the wood feed box, I stood on the opposite side of the massive animal petting his neck.
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I needed help!
I called out, “Granddaddy, he’s standin on my foot!”
My strong, six-foot-tall, grandfather instantly went into action. He began to push the monster from the front, trying to get him to take a step back. That didn’t work. The big boy just kept munching. He was too focused on breakfast to pay any mind to my predicament.
But Granddaddy knew what to try next. He picked up his metal bucket and whacked that big guy right on the forehead. Finally, after the third whack the creature took a small step back and released my poor foot from its trap. That giant didn’t miss a beat in his chewing rhythm.
We examined the foot carefully. There was no blood and apparently no broken bones. Fortunately for me the barnyard had enough of a layer of mud to cushion the bottom of my foot so that it was not crushed under the enormous weight.
I limped a little for the rest of the day but was left with a unique memory to share with my beloved grandfather.
That memory serves as a reminder that we sometimes need help. As humans, we have limitations, but we can always count on our Creator to help us find the solutions when we face trials and obstacles. The solution may come in the form of another person, a piece of information, a miracle, a work of the Holy Spirit, or even a ministering angel sent from God. We can always have peace in knowing that our Lord knows our situation and knows what needs to happen for our benefit. Our God is indeed “a very present help in times of trouble” and He’s only a prayer away.
Jesus reassures us saying, “In Me you may have peace. In
the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the
world” (John 16:33 NKJV). What is troubling you at this moment? Are you trapped? Do you feel like a big ole bull is standing on your foot or sitting on your chest?
Like I cried out to my grandfather, perhaps you need to cry out to Jesus. He’s right there, wanting to step in and help. Turn to Him in prayer and listen for His reply.
Here’s a song that might be a blessing to you. It’s called Cry out to Jesus, sung by Third Day - https://youtu.be/JmVxRl5bc4Y
Your comments are welcome.
©Copyright 2019 Connie Wohlford
Yes ma'am Ms. Connie. Some days you just have to whack that rascal right between the eyes to get his attention. When Satan is stepping on me, God's word can deliver a mighty blow. The next time a bull, or any cow, stands on your foot, reach down and poke them behind the knee of that leg (if you can); they'll raise their foot every time. :-) God's blessings ma'am; and thank you for this enjoyable post.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteWell said, J.D.
DeleteWhen I first started reading this post and saw the great bovine make an appearance, I thought I must be on YOUR blog. :)
Pastor Joshua. To compare anything I might write to our friend Ms. Connie is high praise indeed. Then again, it might just have been the bull. :-) In either case, I appreciate that the rural life, whom I think of as my target audience, resonated with you and caused that thought. God's blessings sir. And sorry if I've somehow hijacked your post Ms. Connie. :-)
DeleteIndeed and Praise God! His Word is quick and powerful and sharper than any sword. Thanks for the tip on getting a bovine off my foot! And thanks for your powerful comment.
DeleteConnie, I'm so glad we have a Father we can call out to, whether it's a ginormous bull standing on our foot, or just a pesky fly in the barnyard that's serving as an annoyance. (And, J.D. - that's a helpful tip to know - a poke behind the knee!!!)
ReplyDeleteYes, AMEN, Julie!
DeleteAnd, yes, J.D.'s tip might just come in handy some day.
When I was young, I spent much of my time on my Nana's farm and had a horse stand on my foot. So your illustration was not lost on me. We all need reminders to not try and go it alone. The enemy's greatest weapon is isolating us from the community that supports, encourages, and helps us. He tries to separate us from the herd (see what I did there?) so he can discourage and leave us trapped. As you said, we need to cry out to Jesus, but we also need to call out to the others in our life who will face the horns of the bull with us. We were designed to live in community.
ReplyDeleteWOW, Joshua, I hope your foot was not badly hurt.
DeleteWhat an excellent comment. You're so right. We do need one another. I love how Paul writes so much about the brethren in his epistles-- how to treat one another and be there for each other. Thank you for pointing that out.