Standing in the Gap
Our horse, Pooh, is a mischievous, cut-up goofball. He’s communicative and has personality to spare. He’s the de facto herd boss and party organizer around here. He’s the first to welcome new animals to the farm, to visit with the neighbors and to laughingly taunt our dogs. If “outgoing” needs a poster child, he’s the guy.
But the goofball has a past. Before he came to me - nearly 14 years ago now - he had been abandoned with no food or water and penned up with no way to fend for himself. He was literally skin and bones the day I had to scare him onto a trailer to bring him home because he would barely let me touch him.
In the days, weeks and years since then, he learned to trust the one who always came bearing food and water and soft words and softer touches…and safety. Now, he will do nearly anything I ask of him because I’ve never requested anything that wasn’t for his best and wrapped in love. I am the axis to Pooh’s world. It’s a big responsibility, but one I’m blessed to be charged with. I’ve loved and cared for a lot of horses, but he’s that once-in-a-lifetime-horse for me, and I am honored to be *his* person.
Despite his happy-go-lucky approach to most of life, he has some moments that make you wonder just what still lives in his head from his rough beginnings. One very odd thing he does is fall asleep at night in his stall with his tail dangling in his water bucket. Many mornings at feeding time, I find him like this. And the really odd part: he won’t “release” himself from the bucket to come eat his grain and hay. He just looks at me, begging with his eyes for assistance. He’s convinced he’s stuck. I have to go into his stall and literally lead him away from the bucket.
We’ve done this hundreds and hundreds of times over the years, and there is no amount of talking through it, or demonstrating to him that he’s not actually stuck, that convinces him. In his mind, he’s certain that he can only gain release with my help.
It is a situation that he creates for himself - a self-imposed predicament - but he sees no escape, no clear path forward. But how much like Pooh are we? Don’t we box ourselves into situations that we then declare inescapable? Don’t we back ourselves into corners and then deem ourselves stuck?
Just like Pooh, our past experiences and insecurities sometimes convince us that we have no available options to change our own situation. Fear and doubt imprison us.
Inspirational author Shannon L. Alder says, “Fear is the glue that keeps you stuck. Faith is the solvent that sets you free.” I have to believe it’s some form of fear that keeps Pooh stuck in that bucket, and it’s faith and trust in me that sets him free.
I think there’s a lesson here, friends. Faith is the solvent. We’re not stuck, we’re chosen - and simply for the asking, in Him we are set free. But we’re forgetful, doubtful, hesitant creatures. And He knew it, so He gave us His Church to sustain us.
When we feel stuck, lost, unable to move forward, there are others who will stand in the gap for us, remind us that we are not alone. God gives us our brothers and sisters in Christ to be strong for us when we are weak, to lend us their faith when ours falters, to pray for us when we face what feels like an insurmountable battle, and then walk beside us and help us armor up as we step forward with renewed faith.
It is unclear who first said it, but it is worth repeating here: “Kindness is loaning someone your strength, instead of reminding them of their weakness.”
Lord, let us be people who loan our strength, who stand in the gap for those who feel stuck, uncertain or afraid, and who speak your Word into each other again and again, reminding one another of Your unfailing love. Lead us to lift each other up and to pray for one another with sincerity and commitment. Amen.
For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.
1 Samuel 12: 22-23