His name is Jon.
He's smart, oh so smart.
He's talented.
He's what you would call a very good horse.
He was born in 2008.
He's making me a bit sad right now.
Why?
Well, it isn't his fault.
It's because he's not happy. He needs a job. Horses are happiest when they have a job, when they know they have purpose. He gets ridden, but not enough. I had a couple of ideas on what the answer might be for Jon but neither idea was the right answer.
I have a third idea. We'll see if it provides him with what he needs.
If you aren't an animal lover this talk of finding purpose for a horse may sound absurd, ridiculous, a waste of time even. But it isn't. Horses are beautiful creatures. They are some of God's best. Jesus will come back riding on a horse. His followers will be riding horses. I think we can say God likes horses, loves them actually.
John writes in the Revelation, "And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses." Revelation 19:11-14
I started this post thinking about Jon and the life we should live. The topics do relate. Here's what I read this morning:
"But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into this world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction . . . flee from these things." 1 Timothy 6:6-11a
When we have purpose we too are much happier than when we feel our lives are just by chance. When we live the lives we should, meaning the way God intended us to live them, we will be content and have purpose. When we aren't content we need to stop and ask God why we aren't. Often, it is because we are focused on temporal things that we think we want or need. God never withholds good things from His children when it is the right time to give them.
Lasting Life purpose is not rooted in things or people or jobs or dreams.
Lasting life purpose is rooted in Jesus Christ.