Musings on a May Morning

        The beautiful early sunrises in May transcended all other times of day for checking cattle. At the top of the morning as I observed the cattle, I thought These animals are doing exactly what God created them to do. But as I compared humans, what a difference! I recalled the phrase from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian believers in chapter 10, verse 31, “…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

        As I walked among the cattle in the pasture hoping to see the cow-calf pair I hadn’t glimpse the previous day, a fragrance hit my nose with an unbelievable perfumed odor. Nearby was a blackberry bush with delicate blossoms whose wonderful fragrance defied description. Upon returning to the house, I couldn’t dislodge that sweet-smelling scent from my memory. I turned to a verse comparing Christ to the unimaginably aromatic experience. Paul wrote to the believers of Ephesus this admonition, "…Walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 5:2).

The fragrant blackberry blossoms I sniffed. Usually
blackberry bushes are despised in pastures.

          Walking into the yard, I spotted Maskie Muff, a fluffy black and white cat. That early May morning, I scooped him up to give him a morning greeting. Often Maskie will look right into my eyes, but this morning he was focused on my glove. Even though, I never feed him by hand, he knew my hand dispenses the food.

When I call Maskie the best cat on the hill in my
sister’s presence, she tells the other farm cats,
"Cover your ears.” Maskie Muff endeared himself
to me when one of his paws was injured, requiring a
 little more attention, rendering him a rather tame cat.

       The fluffy black and white cat mirrored the people dogging Jesus in John 6. Jesus had fed miraculously a huge number of people. The next day, the same people were seeking Jesus. Jesus, who knew all hearts and minds, said to them, “…You seek Me, …because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” 

        Much like Maskie, the people looked at Jesus for what His hand could give them instead of realizing seeking to be in His presence feeds the soul as nothing else. Being in the presence of an awesome God who is omnipotent, yet desires a relationship with us, brings a peace and contentment as nothing else. David, described as a man after God’s own heart, wrote in Psalm 27:8…When You said, “Seek My face,“ My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

         May we desire to give Him glory in all we do just as Mother’s little cattle herd does. Let our attentiveness to the fragrance of the self-sacrifice of Jesus Himself gave for us far exceed the sweet-smelling aroma of the blackberry blossoms. Only embracing the self-sacrifice of Jesus fixates us on His face. No material blessing compares to resting calmly in His presence.