A Beautiful Horse? or a Stubborn Mule?

This 'study' goes back a few years when I taught us through Song of Solomon.  This particular subject has never been forgotten by many many ladies that I have known in these years as pastor at Touchet. This is just a basic outline - you can make of it what you want, but it truly an interesting concept about a woman.

As I child, I use to hear phrases like, "The old gray, she ain't what she use to be!" and I use to hear young men call young pretty girls a "filly".  Ya, I think there is more truth to this short study than what meets the eye.

Horses are wonderful when they are willing and obedient.

It is their purpose to serve their masters. Horses are servants of man. It has been that way for centuries.

Despite their domestication, they are thought to be beautiful, for they retain a certain spirit of wildness even when they are tamed.

They communicate in a very physical way.  Their coats are sleek and shiny.  They are warm.

You have to handle horses in a specific way.  To train a horse, it is best to cause them to want to do what you are going to ask of them rather than forcing them to.  You teach them in a very small step one upon the next.

If you are consistent, fair and firm, you can end up with the horse's will and it's very heart.  If you do not have the horse's respect, the horse will literally walk allover you.

They are very social and have a very complex social order.  They need the presence of other horses.

They look beautiful.  They have soft eyes and lots of hair.  They move with grace and dignity.  Their movement flows like a river, a dance or music.  They symbolize freedom, youth and tamed wildness.

They have great strength, but avoid using it with aggression.  Most often they flee from conflict, danger of oppression.

They are creature of habit and like the same routine.  They are predictable and most often dependable.

Now, see if you can see some 'great' application of the above facts with the following Scriptures. There is most certainly some great sermon material here.

It has been preached, understood and accepted at Touchet - how about you?

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Psalm 20:7  Some trust in chariots (cars & trucks, etc), and some in horses (women): but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.  (You know, a guy thinks he needs a good truck and a good 'woman,' but he doesn't realize that he needs to just trust in God!

Psalm 33:17  An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.    Proverbs adds to that thought in chapter 31:3  Give not thy strength unto women...

Psalm 147:10,11 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

Psalm 32:9  Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

Psalm 39: 1 - I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

James 1:26: If any man among you seem to be religious, and brid1eth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

James 3: 1-8 1: My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.