RAMA - Somehow it seems easier to feel God’s presence while worshipping in the great outdoors, and churchgoers had the special opportunity to do just that on May 21 at the Cowboy Church Service in Rama during PALS Draft Horse Field Days.
Providing a wide variety of sacred music throughout the service were: Nancy Genoway (vocals & spoons), Shelden Landstad (vocals, guitar & mandolin), Judy Johnson (vocals), Marilyn Fredsberg (vocals & 12 string guitar) Jordan Halifax (vocals & guitar), Gene McKenzie (vocals & bass guitar) and Pauline Stefankew (vocals & guitar).
The well-known songs played by the group included: I Saw The Light, Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, God must be a Cowboy at Heart, Old-Time Religion, This Little Light of Mine, and I’ll Fly Away.
In addition to offering her singing talents, Judy Johnson shared A Farmer’s Prayer.
“Lord bless this land you’ve given me
And may I always know
As I tend each crop and animal
You’re the one that helps them grow
Grant me the strength and wisdom
Please protect me from all harm
And thank you Lord for the precious gift
The blessing of my farm.”
Steve Halifax of Rama led the service, and spoke on the rhythm of life.
“I’d like to thank the Lord for all of his blessings. We have a wonderful tempo as we worship this morning,” said Halifax.
“We have the trees blowing in the breeze. We have animals born on the farm, and eventually they die, and it’s the same with people.
“As sure as the night follows the day, light follows darkness,” continued Halifax
“As sure as the sun rises, it must also set. As sure as the rain falls, it must also rise again. As sure as ‘dust you are, and to dust you shall return,’ there must be a continual birth, life, death, resurrection. The cycle must be completed– the perfect circle of eternity – of which God is the designer, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega.
“God moves. He is a moving God. He is never still. He is always doing, going, saying, and effecting change in every sphere of creation. He is never static, except for Himself – ‘I am the Lord, I do not change’– except for His Word—‘Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven’ – and except for the future. His promises to His children – ‘Not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.’ Yesterday, today, and forever, Jesus is the same. All things change, but Jesus never.
“When God sent Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, He told him, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’
“God’s name is ‘I AM’ – not ‘I WAS.’ What a wonderful realization! What assurance! What security!
“Change is one thing that drives us closer to God. ‘Change and decay in all around I see; O Thou who changest not, abide with me.’ All things change, but Jesus never. He’s the only thing that remains constant.
“One of the circumstances when this is most evident is when we move to a new place or job or especially a new country. We become accustomed to our homes, things, friends, or habits, and we tend to rely on or trust in those things. When business people, teachers, or students go to foreign countries to work or study, some of them experience culture shock, because they’ve been used to having the same thing all their lives – the same language, the same friends, the same place to live. All of a sudden, they can’t rely on those things anymore.
“As Christians, we have a head start on adapting to changes because we have an anchor that holds us steadfast and sure. We have a rock that is always solid that we can always trust. In some ways, our lives are much the same every day because we trust God every day. Our Rock keeps us safe and secure all the time, no matter what the waves are like.
“No matter what happens or where we go or where we live or what the conditions may be, God’s still there, and He’ll always keep us, no matter what. So we can have a wonderful feeling of security that people without faith may not experience, no matter how long they live in the same place and do the same things and go to the same school and have the same house and the same pets and the same friends. Their feeling of security can be interrupted at any moment and fall apart when even one of those things on which they rely changes. Whereas “we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.’
“If you feel buffeted by the waves of life, why not invite Jesus to be your anchor too? Simply ask Him: Dear Jesus, please come into my life and give me the security and stability that comes from knowing You – regardless of what’s going on around me. Amen.”
