Show Horses

Genesis 50 - Exodus 2:10 Matthew 16:13-17:9 Psalm 21 Proverbs 5:1-6

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul? – Matthew 16:25-26

Each year for Christmas, I was given a Breyer toy horse. I loved animals, but there was something intoxicating about horses. Their strength, their pride, their beauty. I was drawn to them and afraid of them at the same time.

So, I was excited to get these horses for Christmas. But, I was always reminded that these were collectibles. I couldn’t play with them like I did my other toys. I had to be especially careful with them and always return them to the shelf where they were put on display.

After the third year, I started feeling sad when I got a new horse. It was mine, but I had to save it. I couldn’t really play with it and have it as my own. What good were they except for looking at?

It dawned on me one day I was treating my life like I was treating the horses. I was trying to save it for the day it would be worth something, being sure not to ‘damage’ it. But what good is it? What would my life mean if I got to the end and all I did was sit on the shelf and look good? That’s when I realized that Jesus wanted to give me a real life—a life worth living, not just existing until I die.

Lord Jesus, we don’t want to be art pieces people come to church to look at and admire because we look good. We want our lives to matter for something. We want to actually live. Come into our hearts and bring us to life. Take our old dead lives and throw them away today. Amen.