Of Horses and Mules . . .
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you. Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him." (Psalms 32:8-10)
I don't know about you, but I have always sort of felt sorry for horses! That cold, hard piece of iron over the top of their tongues, between their teeth, attached to pieces of leather at the corners of their mouths . . . It just DOESN'T sound like a lot of fun to me! How thankful I am that God didn't create me to be controlled by bit and bridle, but that He created me with understanding, with the power of choice!
Yet, how often do I abuse this blessing! How often do I chose a path other than the one He lays out before me! I chose to trust myself instead of Him. "After all," I reason, "God did grant me the power of choice! What can be so wrong in using it?" What I fail to realize is, that in so doing, I deny God the ability to "instruct [me] and teach [me] in the way [I] should go"! I deny Him the ability to "counsel [me] and watch over [me]"!
Yes, we are created free, without that hard, cold piece of iron between our teeth. We are created with understanding. Let's not abuse this wonderful gift from God by denying Him the privilege of teaching, instructing, counseling and watching over us! For in so doing, are we not denying the Lord His privilege of surrounding us with His unfailing love (vs. 10)?
Love in Christ,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart,
Moderator, The Nugget, Scriptural Nuggets (
www.sermonillustrator.org/minisermons/ ), Answers2Prayer Ministries,
www.Answers2Prayer.org ,