Isaiah 58:14
“‘- – – then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.’ The mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
I love to cook and I especially enjoy cooking in cast iron utensils. Just about every time I use a skillet or Dutch oven, I think about the old chuck wagons that became the hub of every cattle drive that traveled across the plains states in the early days. There is a spiritual application here, so please bear with me.
At first glance you might think that the cook who operated the chuck wagon was on the lowest rung of the ladder. Actually, he was the highest paid man on the cattle drives and had total authority of his domain.
Cookie would arise about 3:00 a.m. each morning to get his sourdough biscuits rising, the coffee brewing and bacon frying. His rattling pans were the alarm clock for the rest of the hands to get ready for the day.
The cook was responsible for the welfare of the men who drove the cattle. He did not do the herding of the cattle, but he insured that the men who rode the horses and drove the herd were taken care of.
It was essential that he not only provide nourishing meals but that he gather fuel for the fire, water to fill the water barrel and select an appropriate place to set up camp for the next night.
Cook was often called to settle disputes among the cowboys, do mending, cut hair and even see to minor medical emergencies of the hands. He operated on less sleep than the rest of the men, so his job was not an enviable position. (Do you see where this is heading yet?)
God has called some to be “cookies” to the “cowboys” around us. This is a high calling from the Lord and it requires dedication. Many times it means that we must go without sleep and work harder than others that we lead.
Many times the hard work will not be appreciated. The “cookie” on a cattle drive did not look to the cowboys for reward. His reward came from the owner of the cattle who had hired him to do the job.
That is true for us as well. Our reward will not come until the “drive” is completed, and we hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful Cookie!”
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing to others!
— Pastor Cecil