Devotion to our Herd...

One of my all time favorite things to do in this life of mine is to occasionally, though not often enough, spend time with the herd when they are resting and napping under one of their motts of trees.  This morning was one of those days.  After breakfast there was a slow and steady drizzle of rain that lured me down to their sleepy huddle.  As I moved among them, taking in each of their warm nuzzles, curious sniffs, requests for scratches, and in general what felt like their sweet appreciation of my stop into their world, I breathed in the ease of their comfort together.  I watched Jinksy, the tall and lanky Thoroughbred dozing quietly with Wildfire, one of the two youngest males in the herd, at his hip.  That is where I find the two youngest males quite often, at the hip of Jinsky.  I squeeze myself quietly over to Jinsky's sleepy head and he presses his big forehead into my neck as I kiss his big gentle eye.  And I tell him what a good job he is doing raising up the young ones.  He keeps on dozing off. Then Bella comes over and nips him on the nose to move and he just simply takes a couple of steps back and then returns to dozing off, Wildfire still at his hip.  I look over at my shoulder just a few feet away at Buck and Scottie scratching each other's backs, Roger and Tink resting in a quiet moment together, and then suddenly behind me I feel the warm nuzzle of Cheyenne's nose in my hair as she scratches me behind my ear.  Watching them all honestly show their affections to me and each other, communicate their needs, accept their roles, take correction and discipline from their elders, respond to the expectations of the herd as a whole, I was deeply moved at how in tune and connected they are to their relationships.  They even make it look so easy!  Why doesn't it always feel that easy with my people herd, I wonder!  Looking at the herd I realize something profound...the horses do not feel disappointment in each other. They do not have sin in their soul. And they are always devoted to the herd.  Fulfilling their role within the herd is their top priority.  It is in fact a matter of safety for the horses to act appropriately in their roles so the herd is safe, and as a result then each individual is safe.  I suddenly feel as if I am standing in the Garden of Eden right before Eve gave in to Satan's temptation and ate the apple.  This is what God intended, for us all to sit in the safety of His herd, not knowing sin and disappointment.  Just knowing our role within His herd. I ponder some more.....how do we appropriately function in our herd when we live in such a fallen world?  My God-Made soul yearns to function how He intended for us to, just be like a horse and move with ease and total comfort among my herd mates, free of expectations and disappointments.  Living in a fallen world, among others who sin just like me, I have to cling to my safe "herd": God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. That holy trinity was gifted to us to fulfill His purpose of first relationship with Him, and then relationship to the other members of the herd.  Devoted, even amongst the sin and disappointments. Our role is to stay devoted to Him.
 His Teaching Cues:  What herds are you in today?  What are the struggles(sin, disappointments) you need to bring to Him?  Are you functioning from a place of self devotion or herd devotion? 

Ladies, I encourage you to pick up your bibles, His word is the instruction manual to living in this fallen world.  Dig in, Seek Him, bring Him your soul that was designed to function in a perfect world.  He will show you how to be like His horse, and be devoted to your herd.  

 
"For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by man.  Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." Romans 14:17-19
 
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and Love your neighbor as yourself." Luke 10:27