The Horse Who Prayed

An island in the middle of the bluest ocean was home to many horses. One of these younger geldings could run so fast that he had been to every corner and cliff of the island. He walked the same beaches and meadows as the rest of his horse kinsmen, but a restlessness came on him that didn't the others.
The horse wondered what was beyond their island and the vast, beautiful ocean that surrounded it. If there was something more out there, he wanted to go and find it.

However, there was no way off the island for the young horse. It frustrated him greatly. So the horse did the only thing he could. And he prayed for God to send him a way off of the island.

Father, if You could allow me off this island, please show me the way. I would love nothing more then to travel and see the farthest corners of Your creation.

It was short, but sincere and the horse quoted it every hour that day, racing back and forth along the beach and meadows. Come twilight, the horse fell asleep on the sand, exhausted. He woke in the early morning, but instead of pale rays of sun, there was an angry wind pushing gray clouds close to the island. The horse immediately trotted for the caves, where he and the others would be safe. The clouds grew darker and lightening cracked before heavy raindrops began falling over the grass and the horse's back. The horse looked back as the clouds went black and purple...

Suddenly a terrible flash of lightening shot down from the sky! The horse felt himself suspended in its light for a moment... then a searing pain along his back. The lightening had struck him! His legs kicked wildly as he fell to his side, writhing in the white-hot torment. He couldn't breathe or think beyond this terrible pain that now consumed his body. As fast as he was, he couldn't move, except to whinny and moan as the pain continued. God, I am in pain! Make it stop! Make it stop... or have me die!

The horse didn't know how long til he finally passed out, only that upon waking up, the pain had been replacing with stiffness and dizziness. And a weight that the horse did not recognize. Did I die?

But a glance around told the horse he was still at home on the island. Surrounded by his horse kinsmen, who all gaped at him with wonder and fear. The horse, though he stumbled, stood, and realized why. He was heavier because a strong, wide set of graceful wings now adorned his back!

The lightening! The horse turned in an excited circle, testing the movement of his new wings. Just as quickly though, he remembered the pain, his own wish for death. Bending a foreleg, the horse bowed to the heavens. Forgive me, Father. And, I thank You. 

Then the horse arose, feeling the wind sweep under his wings. He gathered his strength in his legs... and with a mighty push, he soared into the air!

THE END

Winter Spell

In the lull of the magical powder, I thought I would supply you with a poem to set the mood for the coming season!

Frigid frost frames the window's edge 

Light flakes gently lay themselves

Atop one another, building

Towards their beauty

Wind slices the trees stripped

Of their leaves, crusted with ice

Their swaying branches

Finger the dark-gray sky

A blanket of pure white 

Carries itself on the wind,

Swirling against itself as a

Warm, velvety beverage seeps

Down my throat and heats my body

Within my solitude

The glowing dance of the fire's flames

Drapes its warmth across my shivering

Shoulders, protecting me from the 

Chilled air it has yet to conquer

Content of the night washes over me

Until I'm drowned in its peace

The snow glimmers even in the night

It pulls the sweet weight of sleep

Upon my eyelids

Carrying me further and further away

~~~~~

It's coming, we all know it... EMBRACE IT!

Bearing

My devotions pulled me into Psalm 136 this morning.

In which the phrase His love endures forever is repeated through all twenty-six verses. God reminds readers of His rescue of the Israelites from captivity, leading them through the Red Sea, and the inheritance He gave them, even after forty years in the desert.

The chapter signalizes the Lord's love for His chosen people; a good reminder for me and anyone else. The bad days can be turned hopeful with this, and the good days can become even brighter with it. That however wasn't what was flooding my mind as I read the verses.

Endurance is applied to a lot of things, usually coupled with words such as perseverance or stamina. Yet, endurance is tied to the ability or strength to outlast pain, hardship, or some other undue strain. Many times, we find we are able to endure something because God loves us. (I have literally been a ball of tears on the floor, with God's love my only string to sanity.) In the midst of it all though... what does God have to endure?

Our scoffs, our angry outbursts...

Our excuses, or flat out shunning of His teachings for the sake of our own choices...

Our worship (time, energy) of idols...

Our endless repeats of the same mistakes...

Our reliance on our own strength, patience, courage, etc.

Yes, God's love endures forever. It endures for us, His crafted children. In spite of all the walls we try to build between ourselves and it.

'Give thanks to the God of heaven

His love endures forever.'

~Psalm 136:26~

God's Back

I can still have my breath taken away from reading the Bible, even after reading its stories all my life.

Many recall Moses' conference with God through the burning bush. How Moses ripped off his sandals, argued God's quest for him back to Egypt, and was finally convinced to go and free his countrymen in God's name.

But who recalls Moses' time on Mount Sinai, where God moved him into a crevice of rock, so that Moses wouldn't be destroyed as God walked by. Imagine when a bright light shears your eyeballs and you have- HAVE- to look away or risk losing eyesight. Yet, you still want to look, want to see the Creator, even at the risk of your life.

How did Moses remember to breathe, listening to God's footfalls and knowing just how CLOSE he was to his Lord (outside of Heaven)? How would you even think? And at the last second, he turns and sees a back...

... GOD'S BACK!

My brain was on fire just reading about it. A fire I never want to go out, no matter how many times I read and re-read His Word. It's how I am reminded of what God means to me because, yes, sometimes I forget. Sometimes I distract myself so much (ironically with the life that God's given me) that my stance as a Christian becomes hazy. Then I find myself reading a passage and WHAM! it hits me like a tidal wave.

And I hope it never stops knocking me over.

Depth

'O the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!'

~Romans 11:33 (exclamation point added)~

I like the word depth. We all use it to describe being so enwrapped in something- a book, a movie, an artwork, or a conversation- that everything else is blurred and in the background. A fringe from being out of sight and out of mind, since your mind is preoccupied with whatever amazing thing has your attention. To me, it's like letting yourself slip beneath the surface of the water.

Ever take a breath and sink down below, just so you can float there? You can't hear much or see much, both muted by the water. But you're still able to feel! On all sides the pressure of the water rests against you, shifting when you shift, but never leaving.

It's this kind of depth that the Bible is still able to wrap around me. Never mind how many times I've read over the verses and passages, or yes, the eye rolls I've given when the verses sound cliche and repetitious. The moments remain where their truth is able to reach out and grip me hard.

The best part is how the grip never leaves.

'Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.'

~Psalms 139:7-8~

Doubting

Sometimes it's hard to believe. Being certain of what we hope for, of what we can't see can be a tall order some days. I don't mean the traditional doubting of God's presence when bad things pile up and threaten to drown you. No, I'm talking about when your belief is the obstacle to a more intimate relation with God.

Hear me out. When we hear others testimonies, we identify with the ones that sound a lot like our own life stories. Any others, we may speculate about, like, Does God really act that way? Nah, He couldn't... could He? We become sooo absorbed in what God has been for us, yet be oblivious or insensitive to what He's been for others. His flexibility in forgiveness and loving without boundaries, and even His sense of humor (c'mon you're telling me He's kept a straight face during EVERY face plant I've endured in my life!?).

Before we know it, we've molded a limited version of God's omnipresence; one that fits in the context of our lives. Being individual pieces of God's masterpiece, THAT'S NOT A BAD THING! What could be bad is that in the race to understand our place in this world, to check and re-check our beliefs, we neglect to appreciate that way God's been working in other people's lives.

I suppose this is really a heavily worded rant about not being a self-centered Christian. But that's because I got this image in my head about how God's presence is like standing in a prism.  A prism in endless sunlight. Just when you think you've counted all the rainbows, two more show up from an angle you never thought possible.

This image reminded me that God is active. He is elbows deep in healing, freeing, and restoring the lives of so many people. Some of those people we know. But there are even more that we'll never meet this side of Heaven. Maybe what's best to remember then, is that God works His wonders in different ways for different people. Don't allow your own beliefs to hinder your growth with God or fellow believers.

(DON'T be a fool either because, ya know, false teachers and all that.)

God works in mysterious ways, but also in multiple ones. Don't doubt that.

The Season

'There is a time for everything, 

and a season for every activity under the heavens.'

~Ecclesiastes 3:1~

Yeah, so I'm brushing right past the 'BOOS' and going straight for the 'Chestnuts roasting'! Just ask Sinatra; he was lulling me toward work this morning with The First Noel. 

AHHHH fall, it's so good to have you back!

'So I comment the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better 

for a person under the sun then to eat and drink and be glad. 

Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life

God has given them under the sun.'

~Ecclesiastes 8:15~