Our filly, Wonder will soon be 5 months
old. In order to wean her, I moved her out of the barnyard which she
shared with her momma, Nettie and “step-papa”, Ponyo. As I
closed the gate behind us, Nettie and Ponyo became very agitated and
began to whinny. Regardless, Wonder responded to my command to walk
away. In order to get to the other barn, Wonder and I walked about a
third of a mile. She occasionally hesitated a bit and whinnied, but
never resisted my leading. If I were in her shoes, I’d have been
thinking:
I really like
this place; why do I have to leave it?
Where are you
taking me?
Why do I have to
leave my loved ones behind?
What will this
new place be like?
Will I have what
I need?
What will I do
there?
Will there be
anyone whom I know?
Will I be all
alone?
As Wonder and I made our way through
the field, I was amazed that she was so responsive to my commands and
receptive of my reassurance. Considering Wonder’s astonishing
trust, I began to ponder the cost of following Jesus and questioned
if I have nearly the faith in my Master that Wonder seems to have in
me.
As they were
walking along the road, a man said to Him, “I will follow you
wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of
the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”
He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord
first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the
dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of
God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first
let me go back and say good-by to my family.” Jesus replied, “No
one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service
in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:57-62).
The cost of following
Jesus is always “pricey”.
Walking away from what
feels safe and familiar is never easy.
Leaving behind those
whom you love is often gut wrenching.
Stepping into an
unfamiliar world can feel like one of the most risky things that
we’re ever called to do.
Yet, we are commanded, Be strong and
courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord
your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus is a
challenge, especially when we are experiencing major transitions in
life. As we make the necessary adjustments, it seems that we are
more prone to getting distracted and off on the wrong path. Proverbs
4:25-27 warns,
Let your eyes
look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.
Make level paths
for your feet and take only ways that are firm.
Do not swerve to
the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
As uncertain as Wonder must have been,
I marveled at the fact that she never looked back, balked nor
attempted to dart off in a different direction. It was as if she
knew that my intentions were not to jeopardize her, but were for her
wellbeing. Just as my familiar voice and gentle words reassured
Wonder, as I go through the necessary physical and emotional changes
which commonly accompany a major life change, I must keep in mind
that my heavenly Father has a panoramic view of my future that I
don’t have:
For I know the plans I have for you,
declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to
give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
In our humanness there are always “what
ifs”:
What if I’ve taken the wrong turn?
What if I move to fast or too slow?
What if I miss what God has in mind for
me?
We can be assured, however, Whether
you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice
behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah
30:21
Whole-Heartedly,
Bonnie
P.S. Please feel free to
contact me with questions, thoughts, topics you’d like to ponder or
to read past articles at: http://whole-heartedlife.blogspot.com/.
You may also contact me at:
Bonnie Jaeckle
In Search of the
Whole-Hearted Life
Diagonal Progress
505 Jefferson St.
Diagonal, IA 50845
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