I’m not a horseman, but I do know that it can sometimes be a real challenge to get a horse into a trailer. Too unfamiliar, too risky, too confining – all that. I can relate to this – horse wise – when it comes to trusting the Lord in something unfamiliar.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs3:5,6
I’m not a horseman, but I do know that it can sometimes be a real challenge to get a horse into a trailer. Too unfamiliar, too risky, too confining – all that. I can relate to this – horse wise – when it comes to trusting the Lord in something unfamiliar.
In reading through the bible this year (don’t give up – keep going!) I came afresh upon these most familiar of verses. It’s a rare thing to look at a bible with underlining where these verses are not noted! But it struck me this time as I think about wanting to Encounter the Lord in fresh ways, that I need to trust the Lord – with all my heart. The heart aspect is the Encounter piece. This is the challenge to me – not just to give God a little more of me each time he proves himself, but to learn to trust him with my whole heart. Of course, my challenge as a modern western man who is taught to not believe unless I can see, is to actually just ‘get in the trailer.’
At the end of John, Thomas the doubter had the opportunity to see the wounds of the Master up close – and his response was to believe with his whole heart. Jesus said – that is fine but; blessed are those who have not seen – and still believe.
So join me in this wrestle – to let the great Handler lead me into a Trailer so he can take me somewhere he wants me to go!
I like the CEV version of verse 6: “Always let him lead you and he will clear the road for you to follow.”
O Lord, encounter us afresh as we choose to follow you no matter what…
Pastor Leon Throness
