While watching them peacefully chewing their cuds the other day, I suddenly realized I was looking at a picture of meditation. The scripture constantly tells us to meditate on the Word. There is a difference in reading and meditating. Reading is calling words. Meditating is ingesting the words and then chewing on them. Meditating involves going over the words repeatedly, slowly with thoughtful deliberation. Meditating is taking in the Word, chewing on it for a time, and then letting it become a source of spiritual strength and energy. Those cows have it figured out. They take their time chewing on their cuds. Most of us are in far too big a hurry when reading and meditating on the Word.
Try chewing on the Word next time the Bible is opened. Forget what needs to be done next. Sit down quietly and slowly chew on it awhile so that it can truly be a source of spiritual sustenance. Meditate. Ruminate. Chew on it. Learn from the cows. They never hurry. They just chew and chew and chew. All of us could do with more chewing on the Word.