A BOY, A HORSE, A DAD

I never know what is going to be said in Sunday School class.  One minute, I am in control.  Next, we are going down a “rabbit” trail.  BUT sometimes, sometimes that trail ends in a totally new lesson.  And I love it when that happens.

Romans 13 has been interesting.  We have talked about how we are to submit to the government.  We talked about how - no matter how much I didn’t like this discussion - the speed limit is the law.  Drat!!!  Here, I always said speed limits were a suggestion.  The class laughed.  They often laugh at me.  That is what makes this class special.

They care and the discussion can change from laughter to compassion in an instant.  Or it can change to a rabbit trail that teaches a lesson.  I love those moments the most.  When a person tells a story and an idea pops into my head.  Just like the time …….

Claud had been to a horse sale.  The horse, being sold, was a workhorse.  A big workhorse.  This horse was being led by a small boy.  A boy who was much too small to be leading this horse around a sale ring.  The auctioneer was calling for bids.  It was a noise the horse was not used to.  People were talking loudly about the bid, about the horse.  Again, it was a noise the horse was not used to.  There were strange lights and people moving around.  The horse was getting nervous.  The boy was too small to control the horse.  The rope came out of the boy’s hand.  The dad was there.  The dad grabbed the rope, and the horse settled down.

Claud ended his story with the comment, “That boy was too small and was not strong enough to hold the rope.”  It was then that I saw another picture.

“Do you see it?  WE are the little boy.  The HORSE is life.  The FATHER is Jesus.  We are holding onto our lives.  There is noise pulling life in one direction.  There are bright lights that make sin look inviting.  It is hard to hold the rope.  It is hard to hold on.  No matter how hard we try, trials make us loosen our grip.  Voices in our head tell us we are wrong ….  worthless.  Our grip loosens more.  It will only take one more thing and we will no longer be able to hold on.  The rope is slipping.  Life … Life is winning.  And at that moment, when we can no longer hang on, a hand reaches around and takes the rope.”

Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.  When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, LORD, supported me.  When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.

     Psalms 94:17-19

A strong hand takes our rope.  Life is tamed.  There is a way to live … live without fear … live knowing we are never alone.  Live knowing the hand holding the rope is strong.  Strong! Stronger than our fears.  Stronger than the noise of life.  Stronger than the pull of sin.  Stronger than the voices in our head.  And all we have to do is let Jesus take the rope.

PARTS OF PSALMS 116

I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;  he heard my cry for mercy.

Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

I was overcome by distress and sorrow.

Then I called on the name of the LORD:  “LORD, save me!”

The LORD protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me.

Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.

For you, LORD, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

Praise the LORD.