Tuesday, September 4, 2007

More from Priscilla....

Well sisters, I think God still speaks through donkeys! I'm not kidding. I know of one who talks all the time. His name is Flash (we should have named him Balaam). We got him by accident. I actually don't own him; my neighbors do. I feel a little sense of ownership but don't share any of the responsibility so I better give them all of the credit.

Over a year ago, Flash wondered onto my friend Rachel's property. She and her family figured they's just take care of him until the rightful owners came to claim him but no one ever showed up. If I was a betting woman, I promise I'd put my money on the fact that God himself dropped this creature straight from the vault of heaven onto our piece of land just to give me some good illustrations. Or maybe I've just made God so weary of my less then keen ability to

hear and obey Him that He figured He'd better send a talking donkey to help get His messages through my thick skull.

A little while back, I called Rach just to see what she was up to. Turned out she'd just discovered that Flash had found a hole in the fence, gotten loose and was "frolicking" with a cute little golden mare from another property. The irate owner had let her know that she better come right away to get Flash or our sweet friend was going to pay a high price. At that very moment, Rachel was at a feed store buying some equipment to help her get him back to his home.

I ran to my house, put on some long pants and tennis shoes and went to help corral the donkey. Anybody who knows me even in the least little bit can tell that I'm not really a "donkey" kind of girl! But, Flash has stolen my heart and I knew that Rachel could use some help. So, we crawled over the fence, put a harness on our friend and. . .pulled. Nothing happened. We pulled again. . . nothing happened. We put some sweet feed in front of him in hopes that the alluring smell of some delectable treats would do the trick. He moved a couple feet and stopped again.

I don't know if you have ever tried to get a stubborn mule to go somewhere he doesn't want to go but there's just one word that can describe it: IMPOSSIBLE! Flash, locked his legs at the knee, dug his stubby hoofs into the ground, ducked his head under in rebellion and refused to budge. I'm almost sure I saw a silly smirk on his face as he watched us two girls pulling and tugging . . .FOR ALMOST TWO HOURS! Rach and I worked, sweated and grunted to get that donkey back home; to the place where he'd well fed, taken care of and just plain ol' loved. Didn't he know his life was in danger? He just couldn't seem to understand that this momentary "frolicking" wasn't worth what it might cost him. We tried so hard but as long as he refused we got no where. That stubborn donkey gave us the best work out we'd had in months!

It must have been sometime in the second hour of pulling, just before I started to get light-headed and see stars, that God whispered, "Kind of looks like you and me doesn't it?. I woo you, you lock your stubborn legs and refuse. I've only got the best for you; just trying to get you home. Stop fighting me".

And with that, once again, Balaam. . . oops. . .I mean Flash spoke God's words right into my heart.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. . .
Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding. . . who will not come near. - Psalm 32:8-9

I knew that God's had just wanted me to get that message 'cause after I did Flash pretty much followed us home. No pulling, no tugging, no yelling, no grunting. He just came; plain and simple. As if to say, "I've just been waiting on you wierdos to see what you look like to the Father! Yup, that right, that stubborn ol' mule finally gave in and came home to the people who love him most. I pray that you and I will too. That this weekend at Deeper Still, when God speaks our hearts will not refuse his advances but rather we will willingly and lovingly respond.
Can't wait to see you!
Priscilla

Posted by Julie on Sep 4, 2007 at 02:00 PM