AN EIGHT-COW WOMAN

Evangelist Esther Thornton, Oregon

 

God's love is something that we will never understand - it is so great!  And, His leading in our lives is wonderful because of His love for us!

 

A while back, I got an email from a young man in S. Africa, whose name is Moses. He had found our website on the internet. Moses said he had prayed for three months, and the Lord told me that I was to be his mother; he wanted to jump right into our ministry.

 

I emailed him back and said, “Son, let’s get to know each other.” Love Mom. So, we did. We wrote back and forth and finally the time came when we could meet.

 

Moses’ mother had been a Muslim. She had been an ambassador to the U.S. from Zambia, Africa, but when she and Moses were converted to Christianity, she was poisoned by a relative and died. So Moses was without a mother.

 

Moses has a job in computer supervision and uses half of his income to preach the gospel in various countries of Africa. He invited us to preach in S. Africa and he even chipped in on the rental of a tent that seated 2,000 people for me to preach to.

 

When we arrived in Johannesburg, S. Africa, Moses, who is six feet tall and relatively thin, ran like a small boy to me - threw his arms around me and kissed me on the mouth! Thank God he brushes his teeth!

 

We had wonderful meetings that week with a number finding salvation, and the oppressed were set free.

 

In Kenya, the ladies dance right where they are, but in S. Africa they form a line, like “follow the leader” and weave all around the meeting. Then, they dance around in a circle. Africans are so filled with the joy of the Lord that it is a joy to watch them worship!

 

When they pray, even in a service, they will turn sometimes to the wall, if the space is available and really intercede all together in a loud voice. They mean business with God!

 

When I was preaching in Johannesburg, S. Africa a few years ago, I told a story that illustrates God’s love for each one of us. But, right in the middle of the story, I began to laugh, my heavy-set black interpreter began to laugh and then all the people followed in laughter! Yet, this story illustrates God’s love for His people.

 

 

THE EIGHT COW WOMAN:

 

In other countries, when a man wants to marry a woman, he must pay a dowry of whatever her father requires. Many times it is cows that are required. The size of the dowry or the number of cows that are required will be based on the beauty and value of the bride to be.

 

In one such country, there was a man who wanted to marry this woman. But, this woman was so ugly that it would have been unfeasible for an offer to be required of any value. Yet, the man who was to marry her did not wait for her father to issue the requirement of the dowry, but he offered him eight cows for her!  This woman was so ugly that the father would probably have been happy just to get someone to marry her - perhaps a goat or a chicken would do for a dowry or even an egg! Yet, this man offered without batting an eye, eight cows for her, which was an extremely high price!

 

His response was: “I love her. She is beautiful and of great value to me. I cannot offer less than a high price for her.”

 

We must not forget, in this day of uncertainty and enemy attack on individuals, families and churches, that God’s love for us will never change. We are the apple of his eye! Jesus paid the supreme price for our salvation. He did not hesitate though we were not worthy. His love is all encompassing and eternal. And, He values us as his children so much that He gave everything for us so that we could be with him eternally.

 

Do you know Jesus?  "...whom to know is life eternal".