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Good
Monday Mornin!
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not
see.
Hebrews 11:1
Cory and I went out this past Saturday night for a little ride. The moon
was
almost full and you could see really well, the air was a little cool and
it
was perfect for a night ride. So we saddled up the horses and took off.
It was funny because Jazz, my horse, was standing at his feed bucket when
I
went to get him. He thought I was coming to feed him, but instead of
feeding
him I put the halter on him and went for a little ride. The whole time
walking him down to the barn I could tell that he did not really like the
idea, but I got him down there and got him saddled and then he settled in,
and soon I was rocking to the rhythm of his hooves on the dirt road.
Now we have been riding down this same dirt road for a while. Cory has
lived
here for I guess two years or so and every since he has lived here and I
have moved in we have regularly rode down this same way. But at night, it
was a little different. There is some property for sale down the road from
us, and all of the sudden the "for sale" signs came to life and
became horse
eating wild animals! The woods had things in them just waiting to run out
and eat the horses. So they were a little on edge to say the least. But we
had a plan as to what we wanted to do, so we just asked them to go and
they
got over it.
It got me to thinking how much a horse must really trust us to let us ride
it in the first place, much less in the dark. I mean think about his for a
minute, they are prey animals, and when something attacks them, it jumps
on
their back! They are flighty animals, they run from danger. And at night
they can't see as good as in the day. But yet for thousands of years they
have toted men and women to their destinations.
Horses are awesome animals, loyal animals and one of the best companions a
person can have. I see endless illustrations that connect our spiritual
life
and our relationship to horses. And Saturday night I saw yet another.
There are times in my life and in yours when we are minding our own
business, just doing life. Things are going fine, God is good and He is
giving us everything we want when we want it. But then He comes along and
asks us to do something. And the funny thing about that is, very rarely do
we have any idea what the something is! Just like I headed out to get Jazz
in the dark when he was all ready to eat, God comes and gets us and we
have
no idea what He has in mind.
And thinking about that, Jazz could have ran from me. He could have headed
to the other end of the pasture and I could have got aggravated and just
gave up, but he didn't. You know why? Trust. He and I have been through so
much together he trusted me and let me lead him down to the barn and out
on
a night ride. Now, the question that I have to ask myself, do I trust God
that much? When He comes and asks me to go with Him somewhere do I trust
Him
enough, or have I been through enough experiences to trust Him? The only
way
that you can walk with God is through trust.
Okay next, will I take a walk with Him that scares me to death? God has
asked me to do some strange things in the past. I have given up things
that
I never thought I would give up, sacrificed things that I thought was
crazy
to sacrifice, and I have done things that I knew had to be of Him because
I
could not come up with it on my own. Now, I never would have received the
blessings that God had in store for me if I had not walked through the
scary
spots! We must walk through uncertain times, if we don't God cannot
cultivate faith in us. If we could see where we are headed, and what He
has
in store for us, would that be faith?
Last, God has a plan, and it ain't nothing like what you think it is! One
of
the funniest things that I do is go back and read my journal from five
years
ago. And what is so funny is the things that I was certain God was doing
back then, was not even close! You see God has a plan, He has a job, He
has
a purpose for your life and for mine, and you can almost bet it is nothing
like what you think.
I know this week was a lot of unorganized thoughts, but I am amazed at how
many people think that faith is something we can see. They think that God
would give them a clear cut plan if He really wanted them to do something,
but He doesn't. Look at the Bible, He told Abraham go, He told Moses go,
He
told Noah build an ark. And on and on. . . these guys had no idea what the
plan was, but they trusted God. Will you?
Love you guys, have a great week.
Pastor Jason Lyle
The Open Range Church of Henry County
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those
who
believe and are saved.
Hebrews 10:39
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