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Before we talk about our wake-up call, let's talk about horses for a moment. Some horses move to the beat of a slower drum. These "slower to react" horses often fall under the category of cold-blooded horses which includes specific breeds like the American Quarter Horse, and certain draft breeds. Unlike horses that are known as hot-blooded such as Thoroughbreds, or Arabians, the cold-blooded horse is generally more laid-back. Of course, this isn't a hard and fast rule, and it certainly depends on the individual horse, but generally speaking, cold-blooded horses aren't apt to win the Kentucky Derby! Admittedly, I love all horses, but I have a strong preference for cold-blooded horses, and have owned and ridden Quarter Horses for many years. Most of the time they are easy-going souls who like the good life, enjoy grazing endlessly, like playing with their buddies, and especially catching cat-naps under a shade tree with one leg half-cocked. However, no horse can afford to become "dull", lest things change quickly without warning.
On the chance that my horses get "spooked" in the field by an intruder at the gate (a stranger, stray dog, wandering coyote, etc.), things can and do change very quickly. With no time to waste, my alpha horse, Samson, will run a short distance, then he will turn on a dime, and face the possible danger. From this safe distance, he can survey the intruder and their intentions. During this time, he does not blink his eyes, nor relax his ears. He is on red-alert. He knows that his life, and the lives of his herd mates, depend on him making the right assessment of the situation, and he must do it quickly. He is ready. He is tuned in to his surroundings, and what is happening in his world. If ever there were a time, this is the time he must be fully "awake". Now let's go a bit further...
I'm prejudiced, for sure, but I believe my husband, Kim, is one of the most gifted Bible teachers around. If you've ever had the opportunity to hear him, you'd probably agree. But one of the things many people don't know about Kim is his incredible knowledge of history, and especially current affairs. I never particularly liked history in college. I didn't like memorizing dates, and it all just seemed so, well, boring. And current affairs? Back then, that simply meant my latest boyfriend! Wow - things have changed. Perhaps if Kim had been my husband/teacher way back then, I would have learned a lot more. Having said that, I'm trying now to make up for lost time. Why? My husband has become my resident Paul Harvey, full of interesting facts and "the rest of the story"! And it's all the interesting facts and news stories that are changing so quickly from day to day that now have my full attention. I hope it has your full attention, too. The Bible says that you and I are living in a unique time in history - a time that was foretold - a time that prophets and righteous men desired to see, to hear, to witness - a time when perhaps the enemy is already at the gate. Are our eyes wide-open? Are our ears perked up and listening? Are our hearts really ready? I hope so. This is our time. And this is our wake-up call!
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