OXEN AND DONKEYS

Isa.1:3 – An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand.

What an amazing verse of scripture. According to Isaiah the ox and the donkey had more sense than God’s people. Isaiah said that the ox knew his owner. That is huge!! Many of us don’t realize that we are owned by God. We are His purchased possession, we are no longer our own. This basic revelation changes everything. It changes the purpose of our life and brings tremendous peace. After all, if we belong to God then nothing can touch us. Next, he said that the donkey knew his master’s manger. The donkey knew where his home was, he would never be foolish enough to wander off, he would stay at his master’s home, the place of protection and provision. Several years go I began to write a poem every Christmas. Here is my poem for Christmas 2018.

THE OX KNEW HIS MASTER

Isa.1:3 – An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand.

The ox knew his master

The donkey knew his home

The sheep bowed in reverence

These beasts would never roam

The Creator born among them

Their feeding trough for His birth

Just a manger and a stable

To cloak heaven’s priceless worth

Nothing could be stranger

Who could ever ever understand

The drama was now unfolding

Creator God had become a man

The angels they were singing

Their voices piercing the sky

The heavens were announcing

This Infant King was born to die

Eternal drama was performing

Before an ox and a lamb

Eternal generation quite astounding

From a virgin comes a Man

Augustine had an interesting twist on today’s verse. He viewed it as prophetic. He saw in this a glimpse of the Lord being born in a stable among His creatures. Think about that, there was no room in the Inn because no one knew who He was. Life went on as normal, the world was clueless about the birth of the King. Is it possible that the creatures knew Who He was? Mark said that when Jesus was in the wilderness fasting for forty days He was with the wild beasts. Creation recognized the Master but His own people couldn’t, they were blinded by their sin. As the world passes by the stable and manger, caught up in the business of the season, I want to take my cue from an ox and a donkey. I want to honor my owner and bow at His manger.