One of the special joys I remember about being on my feet was horseback riding. And what made riding special was Augie, a big old thoroughbred horse who knew everything there was to know about jumping. You should have seen him entering a showring! He would quietly dance and prance in one place and flick his ears backward and forward waiting for my command. I never had to tug on his reins. Whenever I wanted him to head toward the first jump, I just tightened my knees against him and–flash!–off he’d go.
Augie would canter to the first jump and fly swiftly over it. He’d flick his ears back, awaiting my directions for the next move. I’d turn him into the second jump, and he’d fly over the one, then the third, fourth and fifth, leaping through a confusing maze of fences. Almost never did he shy away from a jump at the last second. He never balked or disobeyed.
What a wonderful horse Augie was! he never “complained” about how high the fences were. He never “questioned” the complicated pattern of jumps I expected him to hurdle. He showed no concern over how hard those big, wooden fences were. He simply loved to jump. And because he trusted my judgement with the reins, he loved to do my will.
You may sometimes feel like things are confusing and difficult. Maybe you are tempted to complain about the stuff God expects you to do. And maybe–just maybe–you are tempted to doubt the wisdom of the One who is holding the reins of your life, and you feel like disobeying. Please remember that God knows exactly what the course ahead is all about. He knows how high the hurdles are. he is your Rider, and He is wise beyond your imagination. So, trust and obey, friend, and remember that, best of all, there’s a blue-ribbon trophy waiting for you!
Wolgemuth, Bobbie and Tada, Joni Eareckson, “From My Heart to Yours: Doing What God Asks,” Hymns For A Kid’s Heart Vol. 2, copyright 2004, p.37
Tuning In 