Put Out to Pasture?

I saw my friend, Charlie, the other day. Charlie lives here in the area. He is a farrier and a blacksmith. He owns horses and works for horse people. So, I thought if anyone knows horses, it’s Charlie.

I was feeling a little gimpy, a little grouchy, a little stove-up, you know—you’ve been there.

So I said to Charlie, “Charlie, how do you rehab an old horse that’s over the hill, and grumpy and grouchy and doesn’t want the kids to ride on him, and just wants to hang out and eat all the time?”

I thought Charlie was kind of off-hand about the whole thing, vague, a little cagey. He really didn’t give me an answer, just beat around the bush and didn’t even tell me about a good lineament.

So later, Steve and I were talking about it. I said, “Charlie didn’t help me much about the old horse.” Steve said, “Charlie was just being diplomatic. They shoot those old horses.” Wow!!

As I reflected on all that, I thought, God doesn’t put his horses out to pasture. He doesn’t retire them and he doesn’t shoot them. If you’re 5, 25, or 85, God can use you for his purpose. I think of my beloved Steve, who went home to Glory to be with his Lord last month—he was 85 and was in his pulpit until until just two months before he died.

I count it the greatest honor and privilege to be able to do anything for the Lord. I have been blessed beyond measure to have known some glorious souls. How could God be so good to one person?

I have known and loved some great “horses.”