In Relationship With God - The Horse is a Perfect Role Model

Horses are great examples of the possibility humansa speed horse, each of God's children has a different
have of relationship with God. The relationshippurpose and relationship with Him.
between horse and rider exhibited in any upper levelThe horse trainer leads the horse to its highest level of
competition, or a teenage girl and her beloved ponyachievement. The horse does not consider whether it
that would crawl on its knees if necessary to followshould race or jump. The only concerns of a horse in
her, are illustrations of God's purpose for man.right relationship to its trainer are security, food, water
The horse at its peak of performance is not exhibitingand shelter. Should circumstances remove a horse
the highest level of horsiness possible, but an amazingfrom a deluxe stable to a base shelter, as long as the
feat of relationship with its rider. Nowhere in the naturalsecurity and provisions remain, it will sleep just as
order of the horse will you find one spinning rapidly onsoundly until called by its master.
its hindquarters like a reiner. No intelligent horse wouldIn the same circumstances, humans would be fighting
choose to jump a five-foot high log when level groundover the prettiest winter blanket, the corner stall, and
is but a few feet away. There is no reward for awould turn up their nose at their oats unless served in
horse should it trot in place in piaffe on the grasslandsa bucket that coordinated with the color of their tail.
of the plains or gallop in orderly fashion around aHorses are not so petty in their preferences. More
course of balloons amid blazing gunfire.than anything else, a horse seeks security.
Horses will do all these marvelous things when askedHorses know that security and love are not affected
by their riders if the bonds of relationship are strongby circumstance and surroundings. This is a lesson
enough. All horses do not have the same capabilitywise humans may learn from the horse. By submitting
and no horseman or horsewoman would even thinkits equine spirit to the trainer, the two begin to pursue
such a thing. The call of the horse through thewhat is possible. Their success or failure will be
centuries has inspired humans to pursue ever-higherdetermined solely by the quality of relationship.
possibilities through relationship with this elegant andA Christian is chosen to pursue relationship with God.
noble animal. The reward of the relationship betweenOnly this relationship provides us with leadership,
human and horse is the pursuit of possibility itself.security and provision. More than anything else,
Wild horses in the western regions of the UnitedChristians have security. In right relationship with God
States are clearly successful at being wild. Those thatwe are content to learn, and work together with the
remain have best mastered their circumstance byHoly Spirit to pursue possibility. Only by submitting our
being naturally equine. The horses most successful athuman spirit to God are we able to test the heights of
survival in the wild are the least likely to enter intoperformance and experience.
relationship with a human.Christians may well look to the horse as a role model.
Men and women who are most successful at beingIf your goal is to be only of the world and remain
naturally human are the least likely to achieve a rightnaturally human, study wild horse behavior. To test all
relationship with God. It is only when we surrender ourlimits of human possibility, pursue relationship with God.
humanity to God and let Him train and mold us that weHe does not call us to be slaves, but beloved children.
will begin the glorious pursuit of what is possible in"The nature of the horse remains unchanged, whether
Christian life.it carries the saddle of the prince, or whether it draws
Will the picture of peak performance in relationship withthe cart of the wagoner. The noble ones accept the
God look the same for each of us? No. Just as ayoke, they serve, but will never be slaves, for to
reining horse is not a jumper, is not a draft horse, is notthemselves they can never be traitors.