Fun in the Mud

“I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?  

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”  

Psalm 121:1-2

I remember when I was a young girl my granddaddy bought and raised a hog for him and granny to eat.  My sister and I loved to go out and stand on a rail of the old wooden fence and watch that old hog.  He was so stinky and fat.  He’d snort loudly and root around in the mud searching for anything that might be edible. 

When it was feeding time, granddaddy would throw some slop over the fence and onto the ground.  That old hog would eat every bite he could find.  Then he’d stick his nose in the mud and dig a little deeper just in case a tasty morsel happened to hide itself from his view. 

Every once in a while, granddaddy would take a little time and stand there with us.  We’d watch that old hog eating, grunting and snorting.  We’d laugh together as he rolled around in the mud getting muddy!  We could tell he was having a great time wallowing around in that mud!  There was no doubt he enjoyed his life.

Thinking back I don't recall that hog ever looking up to see where his food was coming from.  He kept his nose buried in the mud expecting the food to be there for him.  He always wanted more!  He never seemed satisfied with what granddaddy gave him. 

Sometimes we as Christians are like that old hog.  We never stop to look up and see where our blessings are coming from.  We don’t think about who the source is, we just take for granted all the good things that come our way.  Like that old hog, we’ll root around in the mud searching for just a little bit more.  We’re never quite content with what the Lord has given us.

1 Corinthians 8:6 reminds us of who our source is:  “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live." (NIV)

This week let’s not forget to look up and give thanks to our Source and Strength, Jesus.  Let’s remember the cross, the grave, and that glorious resurrection morning!   Let’s be thankful for the One who allows us to enjoy our time in the mud.