It’s
wonderful to celebrate Chinese New Year as we connect with our family members and
friends. Tis’ the season for meaningful reunions, good food and goodwill.
As
we gallop into the Year of the Horse, let's focus on several life principles related to this horsy character.
Firstly, are we trying to figure out everything
in our lives? Jeremiah
questioned God why He had allowed the wicked to prosper. Why didn’t God punish the wicked?
Why didn’t God arise and set aright the injustice he saw happening right before
his eyes (Jeremiah 12:1-4)?
Notice
God’s reply to him in Jeremiah 12:5: "If you have raced on foot against men and they have worn you
out, how will you be able to compete with horses?”
It
seems that God is telling off Jeremiah that His ways are much higher than his
ways. Jeremiah has no right to question God. If Jeremiah, a mere man, cannot outrun a horse, how can he question the ways of the Creator who is much more powerful than a horse?
Next
time, when we cannot figure something out—like why God allows injustice—let’s
remind ourselves that we have no right to tell God how to run the world or our
lives.
Secondly, at an opportune time, God can empower His servants with the strength of a horse. We’ll be able then to do great and mighty
things that will astound ourselves (John 14:12). When God equips us to do His
work, we’ll be able to do exceedingly far more than what we can ever ask or think
(Ephesians 3:20).
Such
was the case of a prophet who ran ahead and overtook an evil king’s horse-drawn
chariot: “Then the LORD gave special
strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab's
chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel” (1 Kings 18:46).
Thirdly, despite the fact that a horse’s strength is legendary, God views with utmost contempt all things
connected with the horse as a symbol of man’s pride, glory and might.
Didn’t
Jesus enter Jerusalem riding a humble donkey? Why not a horse-drawn chariot with all the
pomp and grandeur befitting of royalty?
- “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).
- “His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love”
- “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD”
And
that brings us to the fourth point: We need to rely on God’s strength. Indeed,
victory rests in the hands of God (Psalm 46: 1-3).
Under
threat of foreign invasion, Judah depended on a military alliance with Egypt to
beef up its defenses. Without consulting God, Judah chose to trust in Pharaoh's horses and
chariots (Isaiah 30:1-4).
However,
King Jehoshaphat did not rely on foreign horses and chariots. When the combined armies of
Moab, Ammon and Edom declared war on Judah, Jehoshaphat trusted God and His
prophets and that helped him defeat his enemies (2 Chronicles 20:20).
King
David sinned against God when he took a census of the people in Israel and
Judah. Trying to ascertain the size of his army was tantamount to seeking glory
in his own military might and superiority (2 Samuel 24:1-10).
God
had raised him from humble beginnings as a shepherd boy and given him power and
prosperity. But it seemed that, through this act of taking a census, David
trusted his soldiers, chariots and horses more than God.
Our
security must not be in modern-day horses or chariots—ancestry, money, power or fame—but
in God alone. “Blessed is the man whose
strength is in You, whose heart is
set on pilgrimage” (Psalm 84:5).
Fifthly, apart from relying on God’s strength,
we need spiritual insight, understanding and discernment. We need something more than just brute strength. We are not to be like a horse that merely prances around, displaying its powerful leg muscles.
“Do
not be like the horse
or the mule, which have no understanding but
must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you" (Psalm
32:9).
To
gain such wisdom, we need to seek God, study His word and meditate on it. And
allow the Holy Spirit to guide us (Psalm 42:1-2; 2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 3:16-17;
Joshua 1:8; John 14:26, John 16: 13; Hebrews 5:12-14).
In
our fleshly desire to get or do what we want—or what we perceive as what God
wants—let us not gallop ahead of God. But learn
to wait for His instructions. And move only when the Holy Spirit prompts us (Psalm
37:4-7; Romans 8:14).
We
need to march in step with God’s drumbeat. We have to learn from the horse how
to move at different speeds—from trot to canter to gallop.
And
we must know when to stop, especially when we are approaching a cliff. That’s
when the cares, pleasures and riches of this life (Luke 8:14) threaten to draw
us away from the path of steady progress in our spiritual pilgrimage. Hold our horses!
Don't fall headlong into the abyss.
That
life will always turn out well—the way we expect—as we gallop into the fading sunset like Hollywood
heroes is merely fantasy. We need faith,
vigilance and perseverance.
While
Chinese New Year 2014 is a most appropriate time to horse around, it’s also a season
to pause and reflect.
RELATED POSTS
DON'T TRY TO FIGURE IT
OUT
When
believers go through trials and tribulations, it is natural to ask God, “Why?
Why does this have to happen to me?”
OVERCOMING CRISIS
Who
or what do we turn to when crisis strikes? Where do we place our hope and
trust?
IS WAITING WORTH IT?
Why
waiting for God’s perfect timing yields tremendous benefits.
GOLD, GLORY, GIRLS
Temptations
King David faced
HOW THEN SHALL WE LIVE?
To live soberly and purposefully during these perilous end
times, we need to arm ourselves with wisdom and discernment. “So be careful how
you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of
every opportunity in these evil days.
Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”
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