This past winter I have been blessed to be able to return to one of my most-loved sports on my favorite animal: Horseback riding. This, along with the gentleness and love of Diego, the horse I’ve been blessed to ride, has been incredibly therapeutic for me as my responsibilities as a caregiver have increased. There is one problem though … Diego loves to run! He knows only one pace: Fast! Fast walk, fast trot, and his all-time fav, fast canter. As I have worked with my riding instructor on how to help Diego learn there are speeds other than “fast”, I have also learned a few spiritual lessons, ones that will be shared with you over the course of the next three days…

Diego is actually an inspiration to me. His desire to “go” is admirable. So may of the horses at the stable have the opposite problem. They have no desire to move faster than a slow, lumbering trot, requiring the use of a crop to encourage them to move forward.

​​​​​​​I feel that most Christians are a bit like the rest of the horses at the barn. We know we are expected to witness, to do our part in fulfilling the Great Commission; but our motivation is a bit low. Perhaps we are distracted by other things, sometimes even things in the “good” category … things like our jobs, our kids, our spouses. In fact, sometimes we are even distracted by church and all of the “busyness” that many very-involved church go-ers have. You know what I mean, you are too busy preparing for sunday school lessons to be able to out and help your elderly neighbour mow their grass!

God wants passionate warriors in His army, warriors who go all out for Him: “…not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord…” (Romans 12:11 MASB). If you have any doubt about this, check out Jesus’ own words, as recorded in Luke 9: “And He said to another, ‘Follow Me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.’  But He said to him, ‘Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.’ Another also said, ‘I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say goodbye to those at my home.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'” (Vs. 59-62 NASB). In other words, we are either all in for the Lord’s work, our out usefulness for the Kingdom of God is very limited indeed!

God wants to be our first and biggest priority. He promises to help us, He will empower us and equip us, He will provide the time, all He asks is that we be willing to be more like Diego than like the rest of the horses in the barn! He wants us to be willing to … “go”! And to “go fast” … when it comes to being on mission for Him!

I personally am a lot more like the other horses in the barn. I need a bit of encouragement. I need the “heavenly crop”. Jesus tells us, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14 NASB). I sometimes wonder if my own “leisurely pace” is keeping Jesus from being able to return in a timely fashion! If I were a bit more like Diego, if I were more willing to “go” and to go “fast”, would I be able to play a role in a faster second coming?

What about you? Are you “all in” for the Kingdom of God? Or do you allow yourself to be distracted from God’s work? Has your motivation for Kingdom work waned? Are you too busy with worldly things to put your hand to the Great Commission? If you find yourself lacking a bit in passion and motivation, then I would encourage you to take some lessons from Diego! Ask God to put the desire in your heart to spread the gospel, to fill you up with passion for Kingdom work, to make His work our number 1 priority!

In His love,
Lyn


Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Author, Moderator, Acting Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries