Only if we could hear what animals had to say...

1 Samuel 6:12 reads, "Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh." 

Is anyone lazy like I am? Then do not expect the Scripture to be kind on the lazy, for in the Bible Solomon says, "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise." Prov. 6:6 

In the book of Numbers a prophet beat up his donkey whereupon the donkey talked back, "“Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” 22:28-30

I was born in a small village and grew up in a poor family. During my childhood all the way to young adulthood I heard village seniors berating scoundrels saying, "He is worse than cow." Are you (or am I) better than cows?

Reading today's daily bread Bible passage (1 Samuel 6) I was humbled by the two cows serving the Lord. The cows' service stands out as exemplary. There are seven points for all servants (missionaries, pastors, shepherds, deacons, elders) to consider in serving the Lord:

1. The cows (working together): they have never been yoked, yet they worked well like one person for one purpose.
2. went straight up (straight-upwardness): from Ekron to Bethshemesh it is about 5 km, a hill rising to 314 m above the sea level (Ekron - modern day Tell Miqne - for details of archeological discovery click here.)
3. toward Beth Shemesh (awareness of the destination) - who taught them the destination? Ekron means (a tree) being uprooted, whereas Beth Shemesh means (a tree growing in a city of) sun. 
4. keeping on the road (concentration on the task; staying on course)
5. lowing all the way (self-denial) - see the discussion below on why they might have kept lowing
6. they did not turn to the right or to the left (obedience; no deviation from the will of the Lord) 
7. sacrificed the cows as a burnt offering to the Lord (sacrifice) (14)

Why did they keep lowing all the way? On Quora, Brett Williams says, "I grew up on a ranch... a cow that has been separated from her calf will be running and mooing a series of short vocalizations that start low and get higher at the end. It sounds like a panicked mother.They will continue this for days." Tim Zweber adds, "Yes, that is a great example of the separation/searching call I had listed. Beef cattle are as you know very protective mothers and do not like being separated from their calves at weaning time. Calves playing and running can make lots of funny sounds but there seems to be one in particular that I will edit my post to include. Thanks for the additions. Besides the excellent answers stated above, my cattle will also moo when they:

1. Want more food
2. Want help re: they are stuck on a side of the fence or gate and need my help
3. Want something else to eat re: greener hay besides the feed I've already provided....
4. Want to communicate with their young re: a Cow will make a low MMMMM sound to connect with her calf.
In general, Cattle moo, as dogs bark, as chickens squawk, as cats meow as horses whinney....they are vocalizing their wants and needs and they are communicating to humans and to other cattle."

So I said to myself, "Only if I could hear from the cows lowing all the way to Beth Shemesh where they offered themselves as burnt offerings to the Lord!


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