A Pony In The Junkyard

My mother and I were away for the fourth of July.  It was nice where we stayed but it had an unfortunate view of a junkyard across the street.  That evening we gazed out the window and noticed a pony.  We felt sorry for him as he meandered around rusted pieces of cars and other scattered metal objects.  Even so, he seemed content munching on patches of grass around the pieces of junk.

That evening it rained, which put an end to any fireworks, but the streaks of lightening and booming thunder made up for it.  As we peered out the windows to watch the storm, we noticed the dear little pony.  He was trotting in haste, jerking his head from side to side with every rumble of thunder.  We could see a shelter at the end of the small field.

“Get in the barn!  Get in the barn!” We both yelled to a pony who couldn’t hear us. We felt absolutely helpless to offer any assistance or comfort to the frightened pony.  There he was, soaking wet and overcome with such fear, that he was blinded to the shelter within his reach.

I couldn’t help but think how we are so often like the frightened pony.  There we are nibbling on patches of goodness when along comes a storm that shatters our peace of the moment.  Suddenly, overcome with anxiety from the chaos that enters our world, we run around hoping for a way out; but everywhere we look, we see nothing to help us.

Our heavenly Father offers us shelter at any time of day or night.  When we are scared of what tomorrow might bring; when we feel hopeless to find an answer to what is unknown; when we long for an end to our turmoil but there is none in sight, all we have to do is succumb to the words of Jesus found in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”  

It’s really so simply, isn’t it?  We can run in circles, focusing on the pieces of junk in our world, running in terror at thunderous problems that appear insurmountable; or, we can run to the safety of our Father.  No matter the conflict, no matter the fear, no matter the unknown; our Father offers His own peace in exchange for all our stress.

Poor little pony who was so focused on the thunder that he forgot the shelter available to him.  Poor you and I who become so focused on the troubles of this world that we forget the spenders of heaven that are available to us, just for the asking.