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It is time for each of us to put our hands to the plough. 

Proverbs 14:4 Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest. 

The ox is not a beautiful animal but it is hardy. Where a horse might be susceptible to sickness and disease the ox will be more likely to overcome. A horse used for riding needs to be shod but the ox does not because his hooves are far stronger. Our feet are shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. Like the ox, there is no ground over which we cannot travel - no place we cannot go. The favored animal used by the pioneers in America, the Voortrekkers in Africa, the Romans in Europe and the Chinese in Asia was always the ox.

Being Strong in Character

The ox speaks of being stable and persevering. We need to have the same spirit.  When things get tough we give up instead of setting our backs to the wheel and pushing through or being stable and standing for what we believe. The ox is strong in character and very tolerant.  As Christians so many of us are quick to jump and point fingers when we should be more tolerant. It is a good thing that God is the judge and not us. 

Oxen are always used in pairs and trained to work together in unity. If we, as the Body of Christ were jealous for God's glory and we worked together to achieve that, the task would be so much easier but so often we are jealous for our own glory.  The ox has always been associated with power and strength and in the days of ancient Israel represented service and production and increase in wealth. For us it represents our service before God and man and the increase in souls (the harvest) for the Kingdom.

Roberts Liardon