True faith never wavers

I had begun to seek the Lord with all my heart. I yearned for him. My soul hungered for him. God will fill a hungry heart, and he filled mine to running over.

Being born again and a new creation, I wanted more than anything for my husband to have this too. It became my heart’s desire.

I could not make it happen, nor could I hurry it up. God’s timing is different than mine. Isaiah 40:31 spoke to my heart: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

I continued to pray and pray and pray. I waited and waited and waited. I knew I must not get ahead of God. I knew Emmitt had to have his own experience. So I kept praying.

One day Emmitt’s horse came up lame. The many visits by the vet did not help. The vet did all that could be done, but Lady still hobbled around on three legs.

It hurt to see this beautiful animal hobbling around. We had spoiled her rotten, and she thought either we were horses or she was people. Despite her injured leg, she still talked and neighed in her loving way. I thought I saw tears in Emmitt’s eyes when he petted her. He didn’t know what else to do.

“We could pray for her,” I suggested one day.

“God doesn’t hear prayers for animals,” Emmitt responded.

“He cares what we care about,” I protested. “Jesus lives in us, and he is touched by our feelings.”

“Then, let’s pray!” he said as he headed for the door.

The shades of sunset had begun to filter across the horizon. Snowflakes began to fall, and Lady’s winter brown coat transformed into a soft warm blanket of snow. She stood motionless on her three good legs, as she seemed to sense something unusual might happen any moment. This picture “Christmas card” scene is frozen forever in my mind. On this Christmas Eve the man I love so much with his hands on the horse he loved so much praying to the God I wanted him to know so much is filed in my memory of “Life’s Precious Moments.”

“Lord,” Emmitt prayed, “I know Lady is just a horse, but she is your creation and we have cared for her joyously. It hurts to see her limping around. You made such a beautiful animal. I just ask you now to heal her lame leg.”