Where the Buffalo Roam

Yesterday at Van Dyke Church the message was brought by the Director of High School Ministries, Corey Wolloff.  He used the John 6 scripture about the feeding of the 5000 to talk to us about joining with God to do things that would be impossible on our own.  It was a wonderful lesson about how when faced with a seemingly impossible task, we have two choices.  We can take a step away from the challenge and just honestly say that we don't believe it can be done. Or we can look at the gifts and blessings God has placed in our lives and take a step towards working with God to accomplish great things.  In the scripture, Philip chooses the first option, pointing out they have no food and no money with which to feel the gathered crowd.  Andrew, while not claiming to have the answer, does find 5 loaves of bread and a couple of fish.  He doesn't really see how this can help, but he does know what to do with them. He hands them to Jesus.  And you know the rest. It was a wonderful teaching point.

Corey then went on to use this illustration, which really hit home to me.  He talked about buffaloes and cows.  He said that when cows are in the pasture and a storm approaches, they are very aware of the oncoming turbulence. They know the rain will be uncomfortable.  And so they run AWAY from the oncoming storm.  I have seen cows run, and while they do the best they can, they are NOT going to outrun any storms.  The end result is that they get caught by the cloud, and the reward for their efforts is that they actually spend MORE time in the rain than if they had simply stood still. Trying to avoid the trials and the pain simply does not work.  Buffaloes, on the other hand, respond in the exact opposite manner.  When they sense the storm brewing, they charge full speed INTO the path of the cloud!  They know that on the other side of the storm they will find fresh water and fresh grass. On the other side of the storm they will find the blessings they seek.  And they will spend LESS time in the rain by meeting the storm head on.

So what does all of this mean to my life?  It means that if God is calling me to something that feels impossible to me, that is a good thing.  I simply need to take a step forward (into the storm!) and offer what I have.  God is not asking me to do it alone- it is about WE. Too many times we pray for God to bless what we want to do instead of finding the work that God is already blessing and joining in.  Think of what the church could do if we all took that step forward...together!  That was Corey's message to us yesterday, and mine to you today.

What impossible task does God have in mind for me?  I am still praying about that. But whatever it is this, I know this much- I will not be a cow.  I wanna' be a buffalo!!!

Because of Jesus,