JOYFULLY CLEANING THE BARN

“Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox,” Proverbs 14:4 (ESV). Simply said, oxen make a mess while providing abundant work. A visit to a construction site provides the same lesson. Dust and debris, piles of materials, noisy machinery and scurrying workers may seem confusing to the unseasoned observer, but productivity requires a certain level of disorder and mayhem. A home without children is easily kept neat and clean, but a growing family’s domicile can look like a small twister just passed through. Much of life is spent cleaning up the messes progress requires. The same is true of our spiritual life. The unwelcome tasks of shoveling the mess out of stalls, pitchforking the hay and hauling feed must be done. Holy Father, thank you for the opportunities to extend Your Kingdom, I do not resent cleaning the barn. The Joy of the Lord is my strength!