Great Horse Stories (4 page)

Glancing around the pasture, Ross spotted Brandy down by the creek nibbling slender new shoots of green grass. Her fuzzy winter coat made her look blocky and stout. He cupped his hands to his mouth. “Come 'ere, Brandy!” With halter in hand, he walked toward her.

Brandy lifted her head. She watched him, but she didn't move.

When Ross stepped across the brown grass near her, she zeroed in on the halter. Ross called, “Come on! We've got work to do.”

Brandy wasn't interested in work so she did a shocking thing. She
whirled away from Ross and leaped toward the creek. She obviously expected to land on ice, which she'd been walking on all winter, and scamper to the other side. But the ice had thawed, and she hadn't been in this pasture long enough to notice. She landed in a deep pool. The flood-stage creek completely swallowed her. She disappeared from sight—ears and all!

In a millisecond, she bobbed to the surface, scrambled to the bank, and heaved herself up on dry ground. Her ears flopped to the sides as water gushed off her. The mare shook and then sheepishly walked over to Ross.

He burst out laughing.

Looking guilty, she planted herself in front of him and rolled her eyes as if to say, “Sorry, boss. I really didn't mean to act like that.”

Ross chuckled as he scratched her neck for a few minutes. He haltered her, led her to the driveway, and loaded her in the horse trailer. He drove to the neighbor's place, unloaded his horse, and saddled up. The two had a great day at the branding.

I laughed when Ross told me about Brandy and her willful disobedience. In my mind's eye I could picture water rushing off and out of her ears. Then I thought about another time, many years ago, when disobedience caused a human to get all wet. In the Bible, the book of Jonah contains the historical account of one of God's prophets—Jonah. Back in those days there was a city named Nineveh in which wickedness flourished. God told Jonah to go to that city to preach against evil and share His love. But Jonah didn't want to, so he acted like Brandy!

“Jonah ran away from the L
ORD
and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the L
ORD
” (Jonah 1:3). Jonah thought he'd escaped and was safe in the boat bobbing around on the sea. Did he think God would forget about him or that somehow he'd become invisible when he boarded the boat? I don't know, but no matter how far he ran, God was watching Jonah from His vantage point in heaven.

To shake Jonah out of the boat, God sent an enormous storm that threatened to swamp it. Jonah confessed to the crew that the storm
had come upon them because he was running away from God. The prophet told the crew to toss him overboard so the sea would become calm, but they refused. When the storm grew more violent, they asked God to not hold them accountable, and then they threw Jonah overboard. Instantly the storm ceased and the sea grew calm.

Out of His great love, God sent a big fish to save Jonah by swallowing him. For three days and three nights while inside the gurgling guts of the fish, Jonah had a chance to reflect on the stupidity of trying to run from God. “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the L
ORD
his God” (2:1). While still sitting in the dark amid the stinky gastric juices, the prophet praised God for saving him from drowning in the sea. Jonah said he would do as God asked, and tell the people in Nineveh that salvation comes from the Lord (2:8-9).

Shortly after that prayer, God commanded the fish to spit Jonah out on dry land. (That was a miracle in itself! The fish ferried him to shore!) I bet it wasn't long before Jonah took a bath and changed his clothes. Then he hotfooted it to Nineveh to preach the good news of salvation. The people repented and turned to God, and He relented and didn't bring destruction down on them (3:10).

I imagine that after sitting in the belly of a big fish with his knees knocking for three days, Jonah didn't try to run from God again! And after Brandy took her dive into the creek, she never whirled and ran from Ross again. Both of them were running out of willful disobedience, thinking only of themselves and what they wanted.

God doesn't call us to obedience for our own pleasure. His call is to take action and serve others. Jonah's obedience influenced more than 120,000 people to turn from their evil ways so God wouldn't destroy them (4:11).

Looking at Brandy's and Jonah's scenarios encourages me to consider how I respond to God. When He talks to my spirit, do I evaluate what He asks me to do based on what I want to do? Or do I say, “Yes, Sir!” and step out in faith by immediately doing what He's asked? I confess that I've responded both ways. I've even tried to hide from God. But how can I be invisible to the God of the universe, the One who sees all and knows all?

The wonderful news is that if I miss God's call to action, He, through His great grace and mercy, is willing to restore me as soon as I repent for not listening and then choose to walk with Him. Even if I willfully disobey Him, God is still willing to restore me when I repent, although I may suffer some consequences for not heeding Him.

In the long run, obedience is easier and much more fun than getting all wet.

Lord, when I'm tempted to ignore Your commands, please remind me that what You're asking isn't just about me. It's also about serving others in Your name. Amen.

•
Thoughts to Ponder
•

Has God asked you to do something, and you immediately ran the other way or ignored His command in another form? How did that work for you? Would you like to get in right standing with God? Simply ask Him to forgive you and guide you in the way He wants you to go.

6

IMPOSSIBLE PRAYER

Childlike Faith

T
he yellow, four-door, 1977 Chevy pickup belched smoke as it rattled into the driveway. The driver's door creaked as Lou pushed it open and unwound his six-foot frame to step out. He was looking forward to a few minutes to unwind and play with the kids before he began studying. Opening the front door, he could hear the children's laughter down the hall. After greeting his wife, he stretched out in his leather recliner and thought about how the last few months had been a blur.

God had put a call on Lou's life to become a minister, so he'd quit his well-paying job and enrolled in Bible college. He and his wife sold their beautiful home and, with their four children (ranging in ages from 6 to 12 years old), moved into a cookie-cutter-type house. Going to school and working a low-paying job tightened the purse strings. Sometimes there was more month than money.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lou noticed Liana, his eight-year-old daughter, briskly walking toward him like an attorney on an important case. Her jaw was set, making the dimples in her cheeks deeper. Lou knew there was an interrogation coming. Although amused, he kept a straight face. “What's up?” he asked.

With one hand behind her back obviously holding something, she framed her words. “Remember the discussion we had about the pony?”

Lou nodded even as “Oh oh” flashed through his mind.

Liana recounted the conversation and then presented her evidence. From behind her back she held out a piece of lilac-colored construction paper. Stars drawn with red-colored pencils adorned the corners. Unicorns galloped around the edges. In the center was a carefully trimmed
newspaper ad. Her eyes twinkled. “I found a Shetland pony for sale.” She handed it to her dad.

Lou hesitated as he glanced at it.

Liana squirmed.

Finally Lou broke the silence. “How much are they asking?”

Liana announced, “Two hundred dollars.”

Lou shook his head. “That's way beyond our price range. Remember, we agreed to spend $125.”

Pursing her dainty lips, she wielded the words he'd often used on her. “What do we have to lose by asking if they'll take $125?”

The pony dream had started in Liana's Sunday school class with a teaching on prayer, faith, and believing. After passing out white index cards and pencils, the teacher asked the children to write a prayer on something close to their hearts. She told them to take the cards home and believe that God would answer their prayers. Liana asked God to give her a pony.

When Lou came across the index card, he thought,
This is an impossible prayer. It's impossible because I've got four kids to feed, school to pay for, and a job that doesn't bring in enough money as it is
. The list of horse-related expenses would be endless too: saddle, bridle, blanket, halter, lead rope, hay, and a horse trailer.
And where would we put a pony?

But the simplicity and innocence of Liana's prayer inspired him to show his wife. After praying they agreed on a plan. Gathering their four children around the dining room table, Lou and Sue shared that they were considering getting a pony. Amid all the excitement, Lou set down the conditions. “The most we can spend is $125.”

In unison the children groaned. “But, Dad…”

Even the children knew that buying a pony for $125 in Southern California was a difficult task. Lou was adamant. “If it's God's will that we get a pony, He will have to be the One to make it happen.” Lou closed the discussion with, “If you find a pony for that price, we'll go out and take a look at it.” He didn't think it would happen.

Then Lou noticed Liana had taken an interest in reading the newspaper. In May she'd found this ad.

Lou held the lilac construction paper. He picked up the phone and
dialed the number. After introducing himself, he explained, “I had to make this call because of my daughter's prayer. Do you mind if my wife and I come out and look at your pony for sale?”

The yellow pickup wheezed up the hill through the gated community. Lou chuckled as he shifted gears.
We must look like Ma and Pa Kettle,
he thought. Mansions were perched on 10-acre ranchettes. When Lou and Sue pulled into the driveway at the address given, they were greeted by a charming older couple who looked like Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. They were even plump, sported rosy cheeks, and had twinkles in their eyes.

They explained their grandchildren had outgrown this cherished pony, and now they were moving. They wanted the pony to have a family with children who would love him.

Strolling behind the barn to the back acreage, Lou and Sue glimpsed a very short palomino pony. Its long, cream-colored mane nearly buried its dark-brown eyes. Because Sue had grown up with horses, she gave Taffy the “kid-proof test.” She rubbed Taffy's fuzzy coat all over, walked behind her, lifted her hooves, and even crawled under her belly.

Lou's mind whirled with “Cha-ching, cha-ching” as he thought of how much money a cash register would swallow when it came to buying tack and supplies.

After Sue nodded her approval, Lou confidently stepped forward and made the offer he knew they wouldn't accept. “How about $125?”

The couple shared that they'd had other people who had wanted to buy this pony. They'd turned them down because it hadn't seemed right. But it felt right to sell the pony to them. They accepted the offer.

Shocked, Lou stammered, “I–I…w–we don't have a place to keep her. Would it be okay if she stays here until I find a suitable pasture?”

The couple nodded. “She also comes with a halter, a bridle, grooming brushes, a saddle, and three bales of hay,” the husband added.

A committee of four children lined up in the living room when Lou and Sue arrived home.

Trying to keep a straight face, Lou asked, “Guess what?”

The kids
tried
to remain quiet.

Lou smiled. “You guys own a pony!”

The children erupted with joy and cheers and hugs abounded.

The next day Lou and Sue took the kids out to see their new pony.

When Liana wrapped her arms around Taffy's neck and buried her face in its fur, it was love at first sight…It was a match made in heaven.

Liana's faith is what Jesus is looking for in us. Jesus shared His heart when He taught, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (Mark 10:15).

Oftentimes I make faith too complex. If God wants us to be like children, He doesn't expect us to have all the answers or be “qualified” to approach Him. He wants us to come to Him with childlike wonder and expectant hearts because we believe what He says.

Liana's faith didn't just result in the family getting Taffy. Another miracle took place. While still on a tight budget, Lou and Sue managed to purchase 20 acres of land that included a makeshift barn and a pond. They put a small mobile home on it to live in, and they rented a U-Haul horse trailer to transport Taffy to her new home.

When Lou shared this story with me, he also handed me the “why” for the ability to purchase the land. It was an aged index card with a child's cursive writing on it: “I will pray for my family to get 20 acres of land and for us to be able to rent a horse trailer for Taffy.”

God answered another “impossible” prayer by eight-year-old Liana.

Lord, when I come before You, remind me to leave the complexities of life behind and speak from my heart with the trusting faith of a child who loves You. Amen.

•
Thoughts to Ponder
•

Have you felt uneasy about praying because you feel you're not trained or qualified to talk directly to God? Is it hard to believe that He will listen to and answer your prayers? What does God's Word say about that?

7

A GOOD ROPE FOR ROUGH COUNTRY

Being Prepared

T
he soft plodding of the horses' hooves hitting packed clay hung in the warm, spring air. Twelve-year-olds Hillari and Laurie rode their horses on the hardpan trail along the banks of the Santa Ana River in Riverside County, California. Scrubby, six-foot-tall creosote bushes adorned with olive-green leaves on twisted gray stems dotted the landscape seemingly all the way to the distant mountains. The meager spring rains had passed, leaving behind tufts of green grass and the sweet-smelling leaves on the cottonwoods. The girls were headed home after a peaceful Saturday trail ride through the citrus groves.