02/18/2022
This is really good!!❤️
What’s the difference between a good rider and a trainer? A good rider makes a horse look easy to ride but a good trainer should actually make them easier to ride.
A good rider feels an issue and knows what they must do to hold the horse together. For instance, a dropped shoulder might require that they lift the inside rein and activate the inside leg to hold the horse in balance.
A trainer feels an issue and decides what the horse must do to correct themselves. That horse with a dropped shoulder might be struggling because his hips aren’t engaged. Thus, a trainer might choose to ignore the shoulder and work to improve hip engagement, causing the horse to lift his shoulder by “accident”. This “accidental” correction is key, as without knowing it, the horse teaches himself. Choice is the fork in the road between riding and training.
I’m thankful that our God is not a “good rider” but a “trainer,” setting up scenarios where we learn to choose Him.
In Deuteronomy, we see God setting choices before His people Israel. In this book, Moses had given reminders of God’s faithfulness, clarification of the Law, instructions and warnings, and some prophetic looks forward. After a prophetic look, telling Israel that she would indeed stray from God and become scattered and captive, Moses reassures them.
“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you…and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice…that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again…” Deuteronomy 30:1-3 (excerpt)
God allowed His people to choose, even if they chose poorly. He also set up consequences that would lead them back to Him and the blessings that He desired for them. He was both allowing for their choice and training them in righteousness and the blessings that come from it.
God didn’t make the choice complicated, but kept it clear and simple, as a good trainer must.
“For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off…But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.” Deuteronomy 30:11, 14 We often worry about future obedience. Obedience doesn’t happen in the future, it happens in the next thought, word and action that we choose.
As a good trainer does, God rejoiced over and rewarded their obedience.
“And you will again obey the voice of the Lord…For the Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, if you obey…” 30:8-10 (excerpt)
We must train in our Father’s example and rejoice in and reward obedience. Consequences are necessary but learning happens from reward.
What are we going to choose today? Better said, who are we going to choose today? Thankfully, our God is the master trainer and redeems both good and bad choices. We see from this text that His desire is to reward and bless, but discipline will follow disobedience to bring us back to Him, our ultimate and true reward. Let’s choose life and blessing through obeying and pursuing God today.
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life…that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days…” Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (excerpt)