We come to 1 Kings chapter 3. It is the time that Solomon
should reign over Israel. God appeared to Solomon in a dream at
night and tells him he can ask for whatever he wills, and it will
be given him.
Solomon had the choice to ask for WHATEVER .... for fame,
for wealth, for long life, for any physical blessings he desired
... for anything! What does Solomon ask for, it is in verse 9:
"Give therefore to thy servant an UNDERSTANDING heart to JUDGE
thy people, that I may discern between GOOD and BAD: for who is
able to judge this thy so great a people."
It pleased the Lord that he asked for this and not for long
life, riches, and curses on his enemies; but that he had asked
for an UNDERSTANDING HEART. God would grant Solomon his request
and because he asked for good and righteous wisdom and not for
physical gain, God would also grant him many physical blessings,
and if he would continue to walk in the Lord's commandments as
his father David did, he would also have long life.
The nature of God is that if you desire first that which is
right and good, that which is wisdom, that which is correct
judgment in life, if you will seek first the Kingdom of God, all
other earthly things for life will be added unto you, and
sometimes that which you have not asked for, that which you have
put to one side, to first gain the salvation and Kingdom of God,
even that which may be on the back burning in your heart now that
the Kingdom of God is on the front burners, sometimes God will
grant you even that which you have not specifically asked for.
At the age of seven I saw my first Roy Rogers and Trigger
movie, it was in color. I well remember sitting there just
mesmerized by such a beautiful and majestic horse like Trigger.
From that very instant my biggest wish and desire was one day to
have a horse like Trigger.
At the age of 18 I set out from England to "go West young
man" and came to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, to pursue in
part my dream of finding and having a horse like Trigger.
For 3 years I learnt all I could about horses, breaking
them, training them, riding them. I had started on my boyhood
dreams and it was wonderful. I had not found my Trigger yet ....
but first things first I thought, there's lots of time to find my
Trigger.
Then the Lord started to reveal to me His word in a way I
had never seen it before, many things I had to grapple with, many
hours of study, much time at the Public Library, many many hours
of searching in the Word. I had to spend much time on my knees
asking the Lord to show me what was the good and the right and
the righteousness of Him. Much time was spent in meditation. I
had to be humble, teachable. I had to FEAR the Word of God above
anything else, above any human person, above all personal plans
and desires for my life. I came to be willing to put aside all
earthly things and ambitions. I came to see that the Kingdom of
God had to come first in my life. I was willing to let it come
first, all other things were counted as loss, as dung, that I
might win Christ Jesus, as the apostle Paul found he had to do. I
was willing to give myself un-conditionally to God the Father and
Christ.
The Lord led me on His path, what He wanted to do with me,
over the next decades. I was always provided for, learnt the
great trade of Orthopedic Shoemaking and Orthotics, and
eventually was given opportunity to use my gift of music, to
teach guitar, banjo, mandolin, steel guitar (which I still do to
this very day). In the process of time God called me to His
ministry at the age of 40, to put His ministry as the front and
focal point of my life. I realized then that all that had gone
before was just the preparation for the real work He had planned
for me.
At the age of 60 I was in the small town of Cochrane next to
Calgary (Calgary had now become my home and work-place) and it
came to my mind, unspoken words, saying to me, "You have given up
your love of horses and riding for decades, maybe it is time to
renew that sport." I walked into the Western Tack store in
Cochrane and asked them where the nearest Horse Riding Ranch was,
where I could ride on my own. They informed me about Griffin
Valley Ranch and said that was the place I needed to go to. At
the age of 60 I was riding horses once more. I became one of the
part-time hands at the Ranch to help and care for things and take
out trail rides.
In 2004 at the age of 62, I was in the position at the Ranch
where I could have my own horse, and keep her free of charge for
the work I did around there. I had actually been riding a very
nice black, part Quarter horse, I had trained him in quick neck-
reining. I asked the owner of the Ranch if he would sell him to
me. He would not because he thought he wanted him as a barrel
racing horse for his young daughter.
I then had the thought pop into my mind, "Well you have
always wanted your Golden Palomino horse like Trigger, so why not
look for it."
I was busy for the next 6 months looking for my Trigger,
only in female horse form. A large ad was in a horse magazine
that this lady had registered Quarter horses for sale. I emailed
her and said, "Well, you wouldn't happen to have a Golden
Palomino, you know the deep gold color, a mare, young, about 15
hands."
I was not expecting to have the answer back that said she
DID have such a horse for me.
The rest is history as they say!
What a beauty she is. Her registered name is "Final Touch" -
I call her "Goldie." She was five years old when I bought her,
only green broke, but what a horse, smart, intelligent, fast,
talented, and a knock-out for looks. All the people and kids tell
me all the time, how pretty she is. She is my Trigger!!
Put first things first in your life, the first things being
seeking God's Kingdom and His righteousness, and like Solomon, it
is sure a part of the nature of God to also grant you other
physical blessings that can add to make this lifetime full of joy
and abundance. Jesus said, "I have come that you might have life
and have it more abundantly."
...................
To be continued
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