Today is Labour Day and tomorrow many students, and some of us, return to places of education for a new season of learning and maturing. Coming out of addiction is like coming out of hard labour in the school of “hard knocks.” Trouble found us, and then we added to it by our own doings.
Thank God for these new days of work and learning that can be challenging, but do not need to be overwhelming. Jesus used a farming picture to help people understand what this means.
In the same way that an ox just doesn’t graze in the fields, we do not enter recovery to do nothing. Oxen have many tasks to perform: plowing, hauling, tramping seed to thresh it, turning a wheel to grind grain or send water along irrigation lines. The food supply of many relies upon the good work of oxen.
God created us for good works and He knew that just like the oxen we need to learn about various things we are not familiar with. When plowing, two oxen are fitted with a heavy wooden yoke on their necks and then a plough is attached to the yoke. A mature ox, familiar with the job, is paired with an immature one so together they pull a heavy load. The mature ox does most of the pulling while keeping the immature ox in line. In this way the job gets done efficiently with the immature ox learning from the mature one.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Forgive me for the times I have made life more difficult by trying to do things my way. Thank You for this new season of learning and work. Help me to move at Your pace and follow Your directions in every task I undertake to do. Amen
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