Daily Devotional for September 15, 2022

Rerun of Daily Devotional September 11, 2017

Shannon and I are currently transitioning our herd from Brangus and Herefords to Brahman and Tigerstripes.   This makes sense because I have a Brahman bull.

Friday, I took a trailer full of cows to the sale and was supposed to buy anything that fit our program.  The problem was Shannon couldn’t go, which meant I had no adult supervision.

I was very happy with the price I got for our cows.  Then it was time for the calf sale and I was ready.  As fast and furious as the calf sale was, I was very proud of myself because I bought two perfect Tigerstripe heifers.  The day couldn’t have gone any better.

On the way home, I called Shannon to tell her she would be very impressed with my purchase and that it was obvious to me that I needed to go to the cattle sale without her more often because I had done such a good job.

When I got home, I back the trailer up to the corral, let the heifers out, and that was when I realized what I had done.  One of the shes was a he.  I am still not sure how I missed it at the sale because his equipment was there for the world to see.  It was obvious that what I thought was a heifer was actually a steer.
  
The last thing I needed was a steer. This meant in a few months, I would be taking the steer back to the cattle sale to try and recoup my loss.  It also meant that Shannon was free to criticize my huge mistake, which she graciously declined to do.  But that doesn’t mean I liked the fact she wouldn’t stop laughing.

This got me thinking.  If I miss something as obvious as a girl being a boy, what else am I missing?  Am I missing when God is speaking to me?  I suspect so.

What I know is that God is a continual presence in each of our lives and that he is always speaking.  The problem is that we become so self-involved, we don’t hear.  And by not hearing God, our lives are not as full as they should be.

Today God will speak to you.  It may happen in the midst of prayer, through scripture, a song, a conversation, nature, another person, a child, a sunrise, a feeling, the list goes on and on…

When Samuel was a little boy, Eli realized that God was speaking to him.  He told Samuel what to do the next time he heard God’s voice.  The Bible says, “Now the Lord came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”  (1 Samuel 3:10)

Today God is speaking to you.  Listen with all your heart.  And when you hear God speak, follow his will.  That’s what it means to have a blessed life.

Prayer:  Dear Gracious Heavenly God, let me hear you speak.  Open my ears to hear your word, my eyes to see the need, my mind to the possibilities you put before me, and my heart to the love that you have for me. In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Listen for God.  It’s the best way to live.

Also, if anyone is looking for the perfect Tigerstripe steer, I just happen to have one.

I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins