This year, at Mississippi Delta Camp Meeting, Bro. Rob Pelkey brought something to camp that was not only unusual, but quit pathetic looking! As many readers know, it was a carved statue of a horse. Not the beautiful stallion one might imagine, but rather a scrawny, bony, starving, pitiful looking thing. His head was down still trying to graze. Bro. Rob left this to the camp for someone to bring home to their church until next camp meting. This would help the church remember to pray for the church in Hungry Horse, Montana. Bro. Terry decided to bring the horse home to Grace in Pontotoc, Mississippi.
Sunday morning as I looked over there at that pitiful creature, I began to see something. I began to see myself! I remembered a time in my life when I looked just like that horse. Famine had set in and I was spiritually starving to death. I had been trying and trying to get filled on things that could never satisfy one's soul. Some of these things were going to church, long Bible reading and studying, long hours in prayer and silence, getting involved in ministries, giving up things, giving my "testimony", service, and even trying to love others. I did not realize that I used these things as a covering to forget how sinful I was. Instead of filling me, these things actually burdened me down. I had a difficult time believing that His yoke was easy and His burden was light. I wanted, desired, and was hungry for the Bread of Life to satisfy my emptiness. But where was He?
He was in His ways, in His salvation, and in His truth. I was trying to be filled by my own righteousness and my own ways, but was left empty and with nothing. When God finally brought me to the point where I was willing to talk to Bro. Terry about salvation, I found out the truth. I found out that all my works, prayers, and decisions about God had gotten me nowhere. I was still lost, and starving in the famine. Thankfully, God saved me and brought me out. Thank God for His "handfuls of purpose" along the way or I would have perished.
I said all of that to say it is easy to forget the condition we were once in, while grazing in the green green pastures of His grace. But God knows how to give me a reminder. I' m sure the horse will help me to pray for others and love them as I remember my own pitiful condition. It is important to remember how God filled a very hungry, needy, and poor horse!
Thank you God! Thank you Bro. Rob! Thank you Bro. Terry!
- Karen Hill