My love affair with horses began as a child, although it wasn't until I was in my early 20's that my "cowboy" boyfriend bought me my first horse, and taught me how to ride. It was at that point that I became eternally smitten - not with the cowboy, but with horses! Of course, I was green as grass back then. I can still remember saddling my horse up every day and riding him back and forth across the pasture for hours, while images of Annie Oakley (minus the six-shooter) swirled endlessly in my head. No doubt, I had found my passion. Then, one day my cowboy sweetie made a remark to me about my over-worked equine that changed everything. He said, "If you don't give that racking horse a break, you're gonna wear him out!"
Now, wait just a minute. What did he say? Did I hear the words, "racking horse"? Never mind wearing my horse out. What was up with that odd name - racking horse? Strange as it now seems, way back then, I had never heard of such a thing. I thought that all horses were, well, just horses. You know, four legs, a tail, and a mane. After all, I had grown up watching Mr. Ed on TV, a comedy sitcom about a talking horse, so I figured I knew a thing, or two. Even I knew that a horse was just a horse, of course. Wrong! I would soon learn that there were many different breeds of horses, and each breed was born with a unique and specific purpose.
BEFORE YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB -
GOD KNEW YOU
"Before I formed you in the womb,
I knew you..."
(Jeremiah 1: 5)
Although I like to try new things with my 16 year old quarter horse, Samson, he was born and bred specifically for western pleasure, and that's where he still shines best.
Thankfully, I soon learned that all horses aren't the same. I learned that there were specific breeds, and many of those breeds were bred for specific purpose. Later, when I became a minister of the gospel, I thought back to those very early days, and my first horse. Back then, I didn't know a Racking Horse from a Thoroughbred, or an Arabian from a Quarter Horse. But I soon realized that all these horses had been created and designed with specific purpose in mind, and the lesson was clear to me. If this was true, then how much more so had you and I been born for purpose - a specific purpose that only a Master designer could have placed within us before our mother's womb!
YOUR DIVINE PURPOSE IS HIGHER THAN YOUR DNA
God's ways will always be higher than our ways, and His extra-ordinary purposes for our life will always trump our ordinary DNA!
While it's true that within the DNA of a horse's Sire and Dam lies their true purpose, it's different when it comes to you and me. Why? Because you and I are spirit beings living within a natural body, and not animals to whom we have been given dominion and stewardship. As spirit beings who are made in the image of God, our true purpose goes far beyond the natural pro-creation of our parents, and into the realm of the spirit where divine purpose always dwells. Remember, divine purpose always supercedes and has a higher calling than our natural, inherited DNA, our life experience, or even our circumstances. And again, why? Because the providence of God is always higher than the circumstances of man. Just like the horse whose life and greater purpose was determined before his mother's womb, so it is that our Creator designed us in the secret place, and destined us with specific purpose.
THE TRUE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS NOT DETERMINED BY THE CREATION -
IT IS ALWAYS DETERMINED BY THE CREATOR
If we will trust Him, God will always color our world with specific purpose, and then He will help bring it to pass.
In the book of Jeremiah, we get a "bird's eye" view of pre-determined purpose from God's own words. Note that because of the cultural climate during Jeremiah's day, destruction was about to take place throughout the land. It's also worth noting that Jeremiah was no more than a teenager when the Lord spoke to him about his specific purpose in life. No doubt, God's plans came as a bit of a surprise to Jeremiah. After all, he was young, and probably had a head full of dreams and plans of his own. Which begs the question - what did the condition of the world have to do with this kid? Jeremiah 1: 4 - 10 leaves no doubt that God is a Creator who creates with purpose in mind - His purpose. And Jeremiah soon got a wake-up call that he was not his own! In essence, this story teaches us that the creation always belongs to the Creator. With that in mind, let's listen in on the conversation between Jeremiah and God.
Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
Then said I (Jeremiah), "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth."
But the Lord said to me, "Do not say I am a youth, for you shall go to all to whom I send you. And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you."
Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, "Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant."
WHO WILL SAY YES TO GOD?
THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND THERE IS A PURPOSE FOR THEIR LIFE THAT IS HIGHER THAN THEIR OWN
Although my horse may not understand everything that I ask of him, I expect him to yield to me in order to bring about my specific purpose - a purpose that will ultimately be bigger than his own.
You don't have to be a Bible scholar to understand the critical importance of what God was saying to Jeremiah about his specific purpose. Not only did Jeremiah have a role to play in the everyday lives of people, family, and friends, but there was also a divine and pivotal purpose for his life during a course of history that would eventually effect and even change the world.
I can hear some folks now, "Yeah, but that was some young biblical character named Jeremiah. But what about little ol' me?" I want you to stop and look at a few interesting things about Jeremiah's story. To do that, you may want to read the book of Jeremiah and do some research on your own. Up until his life changing, one-on-one conversation with God, Jeremiah didn't seem to have a clue to his real purpose in life beyond the present. Yes, I'm sure he had personal plans, dreams, and ambitions, but he had no idea that his life had already been purposed in such a way that it would ultimately change nations and kingdoms forever. In retrospect, it's not an over-simplification to state that the world simply could not do without him at that time. Such was his importance to God, and the real purpose for his life!
Still, in his innocence, Jeremiah must have thought there were others who were far more competent for the job. In fact, if we'd have asked others hanging around back then, I'm sure they would have told us that Jeremiah was the least one to be voted "most likely to succeed"! Nevertheless, neither Jeremiah, nor his critics, hand-chose him for the job ahead. God chose him, and He did it with the supreme knowledge and confidence that He had well-equipped Jeremiah ahead of time with specific purpose in mind.
AND FINALLY,
WHEN GOD CREATES -
HE ALWAYS CREATES WITH PURPOSE
"I will cry to God Most High, who performs on my behalf and rewards me, - who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them."
(Psalm 57: 2)
Left to his own purpose, my horse would be content to wander around the pasture and eat grass all day. But his Master has bigger plans for him, and a greater purpose for his life!
Finally, here's some food for thought. When God creates, He always creates with purpose. And that includes His creation of you. Irregardless of our parents intent at the moment when we were conceived, there is a moment in time that preceded that. A special moment when God conceived the thought of you. And when He conceived the thought of you, He conceived a purpose - a purpose that could only be fulfilled through Him, and with His strength. Here's something for you to wrap your head around. God's hand in our lives is never circumstantial, but it is always providential. As you begin to think about that, and hopefully seek God about your own life and purpose on this planet, I want you to consider carefully what I am going to say to you next.
If you live your life with no greater purpose than your own, then your purpose is far too small. So, how can you tell the difference between your purpose and God's purpose? When you live your life with God's purpose in mind, it will always be far-reaching, eternal, and greater than your own. And finally, not only will His purpose change you, but it will always change the world!
WANT TO BE A WORLD-CHANGER?
START LIVING OUT YOUR GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE!
STILL COMING THIS SUMMER...
Don't miss more upcoming equine ministry newsletters this summer from
Susan Klaudt Horse Ministry
THE POWER OF PRESSURE
WAY MORE THAN HORSEPOWER
LEARNING TO YIELD
THE POWER OF YOUR WORDS
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