October 5, 2007

WHOAAA!

I have a very nice Quarter Horse gelding that goes by the name of Peppy. He has what is known in the cow horse business as a good “stop.” That means that when I cue him to stop he will tuck his rear end and come quickly to a stop, sometimes leaving short slide marks if we are in the sand.

These days I keep a cell phone with me constantly, even when I am riding. Cell phones have made it possible to conduct business nearly everywhere, even on horseback! For that reason it is not at all unusual for the phone to ring when I am on Peppy. The other day I was riding him and my cell phone went off (it was Pat Messick) and Peppy immediately slid to a stop. Evidently my cell phone has gone off so many times while riding that Peppy has learned to associate the sound with the desired action. It is a pretty cute circus act.

I don’t know about you but I suspect that there are plenty of people these days that have been caught up in the whirlwind of frantic activity that accompanies this time of the year: the start of school, high school and college football games, high octane programming in the church...you can finish the list. Sometimes we can get to going so fast that we just never take the time to stop and catch our breath.

Here’s the point: if a horse can figure out that when a cell phone goes off it is time to stop and take a break, you and I can surely learn the same. Believe it or not, God did not create us for non-stop activity, but sometimes you and I aren’t listening for God’s voice carefully enough to know when to stop. In a horse a good “stop” is a highly valued trait. It can be equally valuable in a human being. This is an invitation to listen more carefully for the voice of God and to start practicing your “stop.” It may save your life. It will surely make it more joyful.

P.S. This Sunday I am beginning a three-part sermon series entitled "David and Goliath for Grownups." I hope that you will join me for all three Sundays as we discuss three very important grownup lessons: Be Yourself, Be Prepared, Trust God.