Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

When my son, Will, was four years old, he loved horses.  His fascination with horses seemed a bit strange to me since we lived in the city, we didn’t have a horse.  On any excursion outside the home, we always had to make sure some type of horse went with us.  One evening, my wife and I were eating at a restaurant with friends.  Will frantically started saying, “Horsey, Daddy!”  I gave him a casual glance, patted his hand, and continued my conversation.  Will was not willing to be dismissed that easily, so he became louder and repeated, “Horsey Daddy!”  Everyone squirmed a bit as I looked at Will and said, “Okay,” then continued my conversation.  With my dismissal, Will stood up in his seat and yelled, “HORSEY DADDY! HORSEY!”  People at adjacent tables began to stare.  I turned in my chair to confront him, “What horse?  I do not see a horse!”   He pointed with his little, chubby finger to the far side of the restaurant, at a picture of a white horse standing outside a red barn.  “Oh!, Okay”, I said as I acknowledged the horse.  Armed with satisfaction, I saw the horse, Will, sat down for the remainder of his supper.

Each night as I put my son to bed, it was my habit to say prayers with him and over him.  I thanked God for Will’s strong legs, arms, fingers, and yes, his wonderful eyesight to see the horse.  My son was delighted to know horses had a place in our evening prayers.  Prayers completed, a tight hug, telling him, “I love you”, and lights out for the evening.

Later that evening, during my own prayer time, I began to reflect on my day, recalling the incident with the horse at the restaurant.  I realized what took place that evening.  Will loved horses, and everywhere he went, he looked for horses!  Will had no idea that there are some places horses are not!  I began to reflect on times in my life when I couldn’t see God in a situation, when I thought God had abandoned me, or my actions set me spiritually adrift.  Those were the times I realized I had lost focus of God in my life circumstances; I had become distracted and looked at external circumstances rather than eternal truths. 

Maybe you are feeling a bit lost and discombobulated in life.  Let me ask you, are you seeking God in your situation?  Just as Will had a passion to look for horses everywhere, we need eyes to see God in places where we least expect Him.  Helen Lemmel wrote, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face.  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”  This Sunday, attend a church near you and begin looking for Jesus throughout the week.

— Rev. Dr. Kenneth J. Jackson is the pastor of First Methodist Church of Andalusia. He can be reached at ken.jackson.pastor@gmail.com.