Ask the Animals and Let Them Teach You

What can animals teach us about God? 

I think that depends upon how you feel about animals. I know a few folks who feel animals are just instinct-driven, mindless creatures who have no emotions, no will, no choice.

If that is how you feel, you should not waste your time reading this post.

Animals, especially animals we have relationships with, can give us valuable, practical understanding about our relationship with God.

Horses, in particular, speak to my heart. 

I used to feel guilty about how much I loved horses. Until Jesus whispered His love for me and gave me a context for His love.

One day, as I watched Scooter (my little red horse that I love) gallop across the field, his tail high, his mane whipping in the wind, my heart literally beat faster. I could feel it. Tears sprang to my eyes and I felt overcome with love for Scooter. Inside that same breath came a voice "Katy, the way you feel about Scooter is just a tiny taste of the way I love you..."

I had to sit and soak in His magnificent words. I felt, knew and believed that I am deeply loved by the King of the Universe. And MY Good Shepherd. I am His and He is mine.

That was the point of The Good Shepherd. Jesus wanted His people to know how deeply and perfectly they were loved.

The Good Shepherd provides for His sheep and protects them, from EVERYTHING.

The Good Shepherd (there is only one, hence the THE (the word the is called a definite article. That means it denotes a specialness. The President, the sun, the Son ... means the only one) does not keep sheep for the same reason human shepherds keep sheep. Human shepherds, even good ones, keep sheep for some economic gain. Wool, meat or more sheep is the purpose of sheep-keeping for human shepherds. 

The Good Shepherd keeps His sheep because He loves them. The economy of Heaven is not the same as human economy. The economy of Heaven has a completely different currency.

The horses here at Beautiful Brokenness represent my modern-day sheep. Most of them have been rescued. They have been redeemed (paid for) and I am committed to bringing each one into a personal, relevant understanding of what it means to belong to love. Each horse is loved. How sad for them to miss that.

How sad for anyone to miss His love.

Ask the animals and let them teach you. Job 12:7