Horses and Obedience and God

My husband has a way with animals.  Of his character, he is good and kind and patient.  He is not quick with his tongue like I am.  He is easy-going and keeps in more than he let's out.  And don't get me wrong, he is a man and like the rest of us, he is imperfect, but I find more good in him than bad.

And just this weekend, I was reminded about patience and giving in and how patient God is with us while I watched my husband work.  I was also reminded that when we choose to allow God to lead us we find safety and peace because He is our Good God.

On Saturday, we needed to load some cows up and re-pasture them.  I enjoy working with the cows, especially with my husband.  He rarely gets upset and we end up laughing if our frustration rises from mule-headed cattle.  I've seen cattle wrangling that looses tempers and tongues, but our cattle wrangling is more calm than chaos.

Because we were moving some cattle, we also brought other cows and our bull back to the home pasture.  This meant our quarter horse, Dollar Bill, would be meeting the red bull for the first time.  Since Dollar Bill has tended to think he is the leader of the cows, we suspected this could cause a problem.  So, when we let the cows out of the trailer in the front pasture, we decided to move Dollar from the front to the back pasture.

Now, I have seen Dollar Bill bring a man to his knees when he tried to load him on a trailer, so I would have definitely just walked him through to the back pasture, but my husband had other plans.  He went up to the horse and took hold of the halter around his face.  Dollar Bill pulled his head up and planted his feet.  My husband spoke kindly to him and Dollar walked with him to the back of the trailer.  Once there, Dollar planted his front feet again and pulled back with his haunches.  My husband spoke kindly to him again and waited.  He pulled the halter gently toward the trailer and Dollar resisted.  My husband patiently waited---gently tugging, gently talking--and waiting.  I stood silently watching because I knew this dance.  There can only be one Master and this was a dance to decide who the Master would be.

A horse weighs over 1,000 pounds--easily 6 times the weight of a man.  He is taller than a man and his front legs can pummel a man.  He has the brute strength to kill man or beast.  He has no reason to obey unless he chooses it or is forced.  Since it isn't my husband's nature to force an animal, he was willing to dance with Dollar and allow him to choose.

It was the moment I saw Dollar give in that both broke my heart and made me rejoice--all at the same time.  I wish I had the most beautiful words to describe it to you, but I only have mine, dear reader, and they are not enough.  But, I will try.

Dollar looked at my husband and bowed his head down.  He pressed his ears forward and in horse language, he said, "You are my Master.  I have fought you, but I find you worthy.  I'll take the steps you want me to take.  I trust you for my good."

My husband turned to look him in the face and ran his hand down the horse's long nose.  He spoke to him kindly and pulled the halter gently.  Dollar stepped forward and loaded in the trailer.  My husband did not leave him, but stayed with him, stepping into the trailer and showing him there was nothing to fear.

And maybe that is what I find so fascinating about our relationship with animals.  We are their masters.  This job was given to us by God.  And just like we are their masters and train them in the way to go, God is our Master.

Today, He gently asks us to follow Him.  He knows the path, even if we are scared of what He is asking us to do.  We have a choice.  We can pull back, set our haunches, dig our heels in, whinny, and buck or we can bow our head to the Master.  We can say, "You are my Master.  I have fought You, but I find You worthy.  I'll take the steps You want me to take.  I trust You for my good."

Ah Lord God!  Behold, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power and by Thine outstretched hand.  Nothing is too difficult for Thee....(Jeremiah 32:17)