Don't Pull On My Reins!

Who likes to have their reins pulled? Pulling on a horse's reins controls its movements. It signifies leadership, authority, and training. It also indicates who owns the horse. Initially, the trainer might need to yank hard on the reins to get the horse's attention and show who is in charge. But, as the bond between horse and rider develops, there's no need for force. The goal is to get the horse to yield with just the slightest touch.

The Holy Spirit is our 'trainer'. His goal is to instill in us a keen sensitivity to His slightest leading. I believe He is fine-tuning our obedience to follow the Lordship of Christ as never before.

"Everything--invisible and invisible--is structured under 'lordships,' or spheres of authority, of some kind..."(Topical Lexicon) We're either yielding to the 'lordship' of the world, the flesh, and the devil, or we're yielding to the Lordship of Christ. We are His "purchased possession" (Ephesians 1:14). He has the right to tug on our reins whenever we need it.

It was one of those days. I planned to visit my favorite clothing store to return a blouse and look for something new. It's a bit of a drive, so I carefully planned to leave at exactly 9:30 to arrive when it opens. However, that's not the way things turned out.

Before leaving, I collected the coffee mugs left in the art studio after Bible study to bring them into the house to wash. I spotted a Corelle bowl that needed to go inside, but my hands were full. So, I temporarily placed the bowl on the hood of my car, thinking I'd get it later.

It wasn't until I stopped at the end of my driveway and heard a crash that I remembered the bowl. If you've ever broken Corelle ware, you know how it shatters into a thousand pieces.

"Oh, Marji!" I grumbled as I climbed out of the car. This delay was not part of my plan. YANK! I hurried to the house to find the broom. Then I raced back down, seeing a zillion glass shards sparkling from every groove on my rough, pitted driveway... ALL UNDER MY CAR!

What a pain! I envisioned myself driving 70 miles an hour down 390 and wham... a flat tire. I imagined Robert having to rescue me on the side of the road and what he'd say (sweetly and with great patience). "Darling, did you check the tire treads for glass?" At which point, I would respond, "NO...who does that?" Just thinking this might have happened got me annoyed with Robert, and the poor guy hadn't done a thing.

Finally, I was on my way, dreaming of the new item I would choose. The words new blouse... new blouse... echoed in my mind when suddenly the words, "Go home!" popped into my thoughts. New blouse ... new blouse ... That can't be the Lord. Can it?

At the traffic light in Rush, the thought grew stronger, "Go home!" Now I felt uneasy. Maybe the store is closed? Perhaps God is saving me from an accident... or someone is coming to visit? One mile later, (yes, I kept going!) I heard, "I want you to go home." YANK!

The minute I turned around, peace flooded my soul. It was the Lord! I got a cup of tea and went to the swing with my Bible in hand. Opening it randomly (which I rarely do), my eyes fell on 1 Peter 1:1-2:

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims [those not having their roots in this world] scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia [and Rush, NY!], elect [specially chosen] according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ..." (my emphasis)

OBEDIENCE! Wow, is that what this is all about?

I've never liked that word! If you're like most people, you want what you want, when you want it. We often make the mistake of thinking that God wants obedience only in the big things, but every day, little things are within our choice.

I recall when my son was three, stomping his foot on the floor, demanding, "I WANT it NOW!" He didn't like the word obedience either, but that was because he was a child. We are not children. We can't stay immature and expect to please the Lord. We need to be interruptible, to submit to His direction (even if you can't go shopping and never find out why!).

I believe God is trying to teach us that obedience is of the utmost importance in the everyday, little things, too, especially in these days.

When I started my cancer protocol, I needed a significant overhaul of my diet. I had to give up all the foods I loved. My choices were organic vegetables, fruit, and only grass-fed meats. No more soda, cookies, cakes, muffins, crackers, pasta, pizza, French Vanilla creamer, and eating out in restaurants. It was NOT easy. I tried justifying an occasional unhealthy choice because it was a "special event," but that had to go, too. This was a definite hard YANK on my obedience.

I had to choose health over the dictates of my flesh. YANK! I had to decide which was more critical: satisfying my taste buds or being healthy? YANK! And, I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself and count it all joy. YANK!

The results have changed my life. I lost weight (without trying to diet or getting dangerous shots). I'm healthier and have more energy. My mind is clearer. Blood pressure has normalized. Inflammation has decreased, and I sleep better than ever.

Learning to be obedient to the Holy Spirit in the little things will not feel good in the beginning. Nothing that crosses our flesh is pleasant, but in the end, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness--which is the happiest, most fruitful place to be.

Here is the video for day two at Camp of the Woods: