It’s winter, so I don’t see Ernie much. But I can picture him in his pasture with his buddies like I’m watching from afar. I know the next time I visit, he will be surprised to see me because I’m unexpected. He’ll nuzzle my pockets searching out anything that resembles a treat. When he comes to me, we both receive a reward of love – I get to shower my love on him and he gets a treat. It’s a good thing for both of us.

Neglected and abused horses
Ernie’s life is unlike that of many other horses. Sadly, far too many horses live a life of neglect. Their only food is the nutritionless forage they can scrape from the dry ground. Their bodies are often emaciated and their hooves grossly in need of a trim. Some have been beaten. Today’s economy has exasperated the problem, giving rising to abused and neglected horses abandoned by owners who fell into hard times.

When these neglected horses are rescued from their living hell, there’s a period of adjustment. The horses are suspicious of people for fear of further abuse. They can be ornery because they’ve learned to fend for themselves. It takes time before they trust that their new life is real and long-term.

God seeks us
When I pursue and love Ernie, or when a neglected horse is rescued to a new life, it’s like when God seeks and saves a person trapped within the darkness of the world. We’re unsuspecting. We don’t even know we need help or that we can choose a life different than the one in which we feel trapped. When we’re accustomed to a life of self-centeredness, worldly pursuits and fending for ourselves, he comes in and gets our attention.

Given our past, we’re leery of God’s promises and gestures of love and blessing. It takes us a while to understand the very different life of a Christian. We have to learn to trust God when previously we leaned on our own understanding, experience and strength.

One of the most well-known and powerful stories of someone being sought out and converted by God is that of Saul (Paul). Read Acts 9 if you’re not familiar with the story. His previous life was one that opposed God and persecuted believers. Little did he know that he would one day become God’s leading evangelist, missionary and Bible author. God is changing lives like this still today.

Nathaniel was also destined to be Jesus’ disciple before he had even met Jesus. Here is the account from John 1:47-50:
47 As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.”
48 “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.”
49 Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.”

Nothing to earn, just accept
That is the beauty of the Gospel message. It’s not something we can force on others nor something we can deny when the truth is revealed to us. We have not been saved because we are better than anyone else or have earned it in some way. It’s just like that neglected horse can’t choose to be rescued, doesn’t realize the good things it will receive once it’s been saved and all that will come from trusting in this new life.

The wonder of it all – we don’t have to do anything. We just receive it like Ernie receives a treat from me. And when we do, God and we are bursting with love.

Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT): Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

Deuteronomy 7:7-8a (NLT): The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you…