2020 Daily Devotion - Day 241
One of our daughter, Astrid’s, favorite stories of mine is about a farmer and his cow, Bessie. I think one of the reasons she likes the story so much is because when I have told it in sermons, I have always tried to do it with a Southern (maybe Midwestern) accent when quoting the farmer. This story is also in my book, "Tales for the Pulpit."
A farmer was being questioned by a lawyer during a trial concerning an accident on a highway. The lawyer asked the farmer, “Is it true, Mr. Jones, that when the highway patrol officer came over to you after the accident, you said, ‘I feel fine.’?”
Farmer Jones began to answer by saying, “Well, now, me and my cow Bessie were driving down the highway in my pickup truck when….” At this point the attorney interrupted, saying, “Please just answer my question with a yes or a no; did you say to the officer, ‘I feel fine.’? Farmer Jones then tried to answer the question again. He said, “Well, now, me and my cow Bessie were driving down the highway in my pickup truck when….” The attorney stopped him again, and this time he asked the judge to intervene. He said, “Your honor, would you please instruct the witness to simply answer my question with a yes or a no.” The judge said, “Why don’t we just let him tell his story?”
So, Farmer Jones told his story. “Me and my cow Bessie were driving down the highway in my pickup truck. Bessie, was of course in the bed of the truck. I heard a loud bang and knew I had blown out a tire. The truck went flying off the road and landed in a ditch. I went flying out of the truck on one side of the highway and Bessie landed on the other side. When I woke up, the highway patrol officer came over to me and said that Bessie was in awful shape. He then went back over to Bessie, pulled out his gun and shot her dead. Then he came over to me and asked me how I felt and I said, ‘I feel fine, just fine.’”
Fear causes us to do things and say things we might not do or say otherwise. Fear can be a powerful motivator in our lives. Too often, fear is a destructive force with little redeeming value. Here is the antidote:
Colossians 3:15 NRSV
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.
We have been called to have a relationship with Christ Jesus, and this brings peace. We were built by God to be people of faith, and this also brings peace. Stop being the one in charge of your life and allow Jesus to be the Lord of your life.
Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for not being the author of fear. Instead, You have created peace. We can have peace because the cross of Jesus brings reconciliation with You and all things. Establish peace in our hearts through our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Yours because of Him,
Pastor John R. Steward
Senior Pastor
Mount of Olives Church
A farmer was being questioned by a lawyer during a trial concerning an accident on a highway. The lawyer asked the farmer, “Is it true, Mr. Jones, that when the highway patrol officer came over to you after the accident, you said, ‘I feel fine.’?”
Farmer Jones began to answer by saying, “Well, now, me and my cow Bessie were driving down the highway in my pickup truck when….” At this point the attorney interrupted, saying, “Please just answer my question with a yes or a no; did you say to the officer, ‘I feel fine.’? Farmer Jones then tried to answer the question again. He said, “Well, now, me and my cow Bessie were driving down the highway in my pickup truck when….” The attorney stopped him again, and this time he asked the judge to intervene. He said, “Your honor, would you please instruct the witness to simply answer my question with a yes or a no.” The judge said, “Why don’t we just let him tell his story?”
So, Farmer Jones told his story. “Me and my cow Bessie were driving down the highway in my pickup truck. Bessie, was of course in the bed of the truck. I heard a loud bang and knew I had blown out a tire. The truck went flying off the road and landed in a ditch. I went flying out of the truck on one side of the highway and Bessie landed on the other side. When I woke up, the highway patrol officer came over to me and said that Bessie was in awful shape. He then went back over to Bessie, pulled out his gun and shot her dead. Then he came over to me and asked me how I felt and I said, ‘I feel fine, just fine.’”
Fear causes us to do things and say things we might not do or say otherwise. Fear can be a powerful motivator in our lives. Too often, fear is a destructive force with little redeeming value. Here is the antidote:
Colossians 3:15 NRSV
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.
We have been called to have a relationship with Christ Jesus, and this brings peace. We were built by God to be people of faith, and this also brings peace. Stop being the one in charge of your life and allow Jesus to be the Lord of your life.
Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for not being the author of fear. Instead, You have created peace. We can have peace because the cross of Jesus brings reconciliation with You and all things. Establish peace in our hearts through our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Yours because of Him,
Pastor John R. Steward
Senior Pastor
Mount of Olives Church
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