Trust & Obey

How many times have you thought that you had your life all figured out, or that you had a plan for how things were going to go, only for those plans to completely fall apart or backfire? That's how life is. No amount of money, power, social status, or anything can make life go as we want; because we are not in control.

Think about the horse. Life is great. They have a herd; they have good food and plenty of water; they don't need anything else. Then here comes man and decides they want to ride this horse. What do you think the horse thinks about that? No way, no one is going to control my life! Then the struggle ensues. Many times we struggle with God in the same way; but why is it that man has the right to dictate that horse's life? Because that horse is owned by man and man can do with that horse what he wishes.

There are people in this world that believe that is wrong, that the horse should be owned by no one, that the horse belongs to the earth, but that isn't true. Going back to Genesis 1 & 2, when God created man, He made him ruler over all the earth, the wild beasts, the beasts of the field, the fish in the sea, and the birds of the air. (Genesis 1:28 & 2:19) It is by God's design that man has dominion, or ownership, over the animals of the earth, including the horse. For the Lord created the earth and everything in it, therefore He owns it and can entrust it to whomever He wishes.

Begin by seeing your horse as not your horse, but the Lord's horse, and that it has been entrusted in your care by the Lord Himself. He has given you the means to purchase the horse, to house the horse, and to care for the horse. The horse is His and He gives you what you need to take care of the horse. He has also given you the opportunity to learn more about the horse, how to care for it and how to communicate and work with it. Do not forsake those opportunities to know as much as you can about caring for the Lord's horse.

Back to our theme for today, that we can make plans, but the Lord's will prevails. The Lord is master over us, and He is a good, kind, and faithful master. He can always work things out for the good, no matter how bad they are (Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28), and His plans are always good for us (Jeremiah 29:11). As the Lord is master over our lives, we are master over the horse's life. The horse is in our care, we give it boundaries to live within, we provide for the horse, we take care of the horse.

Do you think that horse would willingly leave its herd on its own to go with you on a ride? No, that does not come natural to a horse, and in the beginning the horse will resist, but through patient diligent work, the horse will begin to trust you to do those things.

Now imagine a horse that absolutely refuses to work with you. For some of you it is harder to imagine than others. Now imagine you have a job to do that you need the horse to get it done, like rounding up the cattle, or roping a new calf to vaccinate it and mark it as your own. Perhaps you are a police officer and use a horse for patrol, or you need that horse to pack your young child around to build their confidence. Horses have many jobs in this world, even though they are no longer used as they were even a 100 years ago. Now imagine that horse refuses to do its job, wants to go its own way, do its own thing, wants to be who it wants to be and not what you want it to be. You can't work with a horse like that, but you can make their way difficult and the way you want them to go easy, but it's their heart that matters. Those of you who have had a horse with heart know what I'm talking about. For us, all the Lord wants is our heart.

Today, begin going through life as a willing partner for the Lord, with the same willingness you want your horse to go with you. Full of trust, respect, and obedience. Read a Psalm and apply it to today. Or if you have felt the Lord pressing a certain verse, passage, or idea on your heart, go out and do that today in full obedience and submission. #CornerstoneVerseOfTheDay