Tempted

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

My horse, Trucker, has two barn mates that belong to a friend and her husband. My friends frequently go away for the weekend and take their horses. They go camping or to shows which means Trucker is left home alone. This week, they left on Wednesday for a big trail ride in north Florida. Trucker has been pining for his friends ever since they left. Horses are herd animals and when they are alone, they not only get lonely, but afraid. Their fear transmits to their intestines causing all kinds of complications that require a visit from the vet and in extreme cases surgery. Usually by the second or third day of their absence, he settles down. Although he remains on alert watching for their return, he doesn’t pace the fence line or call to them anymore. So, I thought it would be safe to let him in the front pasture today to get the better grass up there. Yes, the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. It is not clipped down to miniscule amounts or trod upon like it is out back. He likes it when the dogs keep him company so I shooed everyone up front and left him to enjoy the day. Until I heard Lucy barking furiously and looked out the window to see Trucker galloping up and down the front fence line. The kids down the street were out on their horses, and Trucker looked like he was going to leap over the front fence and take off after them any minute. The front fence line is only three feet high and made of chain link. It would be no obstacle for a horse determined to get out. I could just imagine him sailing over that very short boundary and heading for the highway. I know the kids would have thought it great fun and probably started running just to see him follow them. I rushed out still in my pajamas, screaming at the Lucy to get out of the way and managed to get Trucker’s attention so that he stopped and allowed me to grab his fly mask and lead him back to the barn. Thank You God for all that ground work training that we’ve done. I locked him back up in the barn pasture away from the temptation of that short fence, the other horses and busy road. He stands back there now still looking towards where he last saw them, but behind a six foot high fence. It made me think that many times we are tempted to go where we should not or to do what we know we ought not. God has promised that we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear. When we get to that point, He will give us the strength to say no or He will send someone to rescue us from our dilemma. Like Trucker, we must stop and allow Him to lead us back to safer ground.