October 1, 2008

More on the Ms. Andrews Story...

I know I am not the only one who has questions about this or is baffled at the story. So I am going to try and expound on what I mean.

Picture yourself being forced to do something you wouldn't naturally or normally do; but you must do it. The person asking you to do this is stronger than you. So you don't have much choice in the matter. Would you do as they ask willingly or happily or well? Would that depend on the manner in which they instruct you?

For example, you are required to tame a wild horse at a ranch. You are deathly afraid of riding horses or even being near them. The ranch owner has given this assignment to you and you can't say no. How would you respond?

What if the owner took you tenderly and walked you toward the bucking horse in the pen? You would fight him and protest or tense up and start crying. What if the owner then kept leading you toward the horse gently showing you how to complete this task? At what point would you start relaxing and trusting the owner's advice?

The initial assignment seems impossible and terrifying, but when you are led tenderly and graciously through the steps, you start to understand what you are to do and you trust the hand that is teaching you.

That is how God is with us. We are assigned to this life of suffering and pain. We don't want it and we can't fulfill this assignment. But God gently takes us by the heart and leads us toward that wild horse. We end up getting over our fear and finding joy in the assignment the next time it comes to us.

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