(Continued from February 16, 1958)
THE first time Beth tried to get Pet to accept some oats from her hand, the horse reared up in terror, and pawed with her front hoofs. Beth managed to soothe her by talking quietly. Gradually she began to pet her a bit, and then after a few more days started to groom her a little with a curry comb. The wild tangle of her mane was gently unsnarled and smoothed, and the burrs were trimmed out. The rest of the family were quite unaware of what was going on. Pet was no rare beauty when she came, and probably never would be, but even her owner was surprised when he drove in the next spring, pulling a trailer in which to haul her, to see her looking so sleek and well-groomed.
Either Pet's memory prodded her, or she was simply terrified at being loaded into the trailer, for she stood trembling and nickering to Silver, who, in turn whinnied shrilly from the other side of the fence and ran back and forth as if distressed to see her friend going away.
While the man dickered over the price he had agreed to pay for her board during the winter months, Beth slipped up close into the trailer with her, and put her arms around Pet's neck trying to soothe the sensitive animal and ease the ache in her own throat at the same time.
Daddy was arguing, "No, I don't need another horse."
"Well, all right then, here." The man turned on his heel, and nearly stumbled over the huddle of children who had gathered closely around the trailer. They all hated to see her go, somehow. Beth's eyes welled up when she said, "Please, Daddy," but she could not put her appeal into further words, and had to anchor her lower lip between her teeth. It simply would tremble.
Daddy was baffled. "Why all this fuss over a stray horse that's half wild?"
"She isn't wild, she isn't wild a bit. She has been mistreated, and is afraid, I know. She is just frightened, really," pleaded Beth.
"But we don't need —" began Daddy.
"Two horses are much nicer than just one," interposed Bruce. The rest chimed in to voice their appeals in her behalf.
Pet didn't understand why the trailer gate was opened again, so she could back down to the ground. She did not know she had been bought by a new master. But there she stood, right out in the open. She looked at the faces around her. She looked at the road open ahead of her, and then with a shake of her head, she trotted to the fence where Silver was and waited to get in. Nor did she ever run away again.
Are you unhappy? Would you like to start over? There is a new beginning for you, a new birth, and a new life to all who come to the Lord Jesus, and own their lost condition and the ruin that sin has brought into their lives.
The Lord Jesus has paid the price to redeem your soul from hell. Won't you come to Him and learn of Him, who loved us and gave Himself for us? To flow Him is to love Him. His invitation is, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matt 11:28.
Beth spent happy hours that summer riding Pet, grooming her till she was sleek and shining. She taught her to lift each hoof in turn so she could pick out any rocks and sharp gravel lodged in the soft frogs of her feet. Even Daddy had to smile when he saw her hold up the bridle one afternoon, and Pet came running right up as if to say, "At your service."
Messages of the Love of God 2/23/1958