THE HORSE

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

1 Peter 5:8, 9

King James Version

A girl who was taking riding lessons fell off the horse.  She wasn’t hurt but she didn’t want to get back on the horse.  Her friend that was riding with her said “Get back on the horse.  If you put the horse away now, you’ll hurt his feelings.”  We hurt Jesus’ feelings when we don’t trust Him to help us when satan attacks us.

One of my favorite hymns tells us what we should do when satan attacks us with lies and discouragement.  We should get back up; forget about how we are feeling, and concentrate on Jesus.  Our Saviour understands how we feel and how much it hurts when satan hurls his poisonous arrows at us.

Rev. Bruce Ballinger wrote “We Have Come Into His House”.  “So forget about yourself and concentrate on Him and worship Him So forget about yourself and concentrate on Him and worship Him So forget about yourself and concentrate on Him and worship Him Worship Him, Christ, the Lord.”

There is always someone who is hurting more than us but that doesn’t mean we don’t hurt.  This is why it is so important to be encouragers to one another and not just when it is convenient for us.  It wasn’t convenient for Jesus to leave His Father, His home and all that He had to come to earth to die for our sins but He came so we can be saved.  Carl David Boggs wrote a hymn about Jesus coming to die for us “Until He Came”.

The words in this hymn tell us how much Jesus loves us.  “He was born in a manger  A king without a throne A resident of paradise but here He had no home The one who had everything gave it all for me When He became my Savior When He met Calvary.”  There is no greater love than the love Jesus has for you.

If you are discouraged and feel like giving up and stop serving Jesus, remember that Jesus left Heaven to die on the cross so you can be happy.  We read in the Bible “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

We need to remember to not only pray for our pastors but also encourage them because they hurt just like we do.  They get weary and discouraged.  I thank God for my Pastor, Pastor J Harold Davis, who not only tells us how we should live, he sets a good example for us by his encouraging words and actions.

Heavenly Father, I pray for every pastor who is preaching the good news of our risen Saviour.  Please comfort them, encourage them and reassure them that You love them and appreciate their service to You.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

May 29, 2019