What I Learned on My Walk

I try to go for a walk each morning--it's a vital part of getting some time where I don't have to answer a question, wipe up a spill, or think about much of anything if I don't want to.
I have quite a scenic route, which I enjoy very much and for which I am so thankful.

I don't always get my walk in, especially in the winter, and there have been several times over the years when months have passed between opportunities to leave the house for 30 minutes to walk--just so you don't go thinking I'm some fitness queen, which you wouldn't do anyway if you knew/know me in real life.

A few weeks ago, just as I was headed out, my father-in-law drove up and said the neighbors' horses were out and on the road.
I decided to head that way and see if I could help keep them off the road until the neighbor arrived. (Dennis called him to let him know.)
I walked quite a way, and as I crested the hill I saw eight or so heads appear.
The horses.
BIIIIIIIIGGGGG horses.

I started to talk to them to let them hear my voice and I hoped they wouldn't run away from me.
I got within maybe 15 feet of them when a car pulled up behind them.
I thought, Oh great; please don't let this be someone who's going to honk his horn and holler to get the horses off the road.
I watched the man roll down his window and I braced for the worst.

I heard him call, "Hep!" (or something like that) and instantly every horse perked its head in his direction, turned as a unit, and walked right over to his car.
It took only an instant as he called out that word for me to realize it was our neighbor--and the horses sure knew it was him, too!

He never even had to get out of his car!  Those huge horses just followed the sound of his voice; they had been taught well and knew how to obey.
He backed his car around and just kept talking to them and they kept following.  I kept going on my route and I was able to keep watching what he/they were doing.

Then this thought occurred to me:
Even though they had done wrong (getting out of their fenced pasture) they could still choose to obey--to come back to their master.

Perhaps you see where I'm headed.

We screw up.  We're disobedient.  We make mistakes.  Sometimes BIG mistakes.
But we can always come back to the Master.
When we hear His voice calling us back, we can turn to Him...to His safety...to His protection...to His provision.

I learned that on my walk that morning and I've seen it for the truth that it is in my walk as a Christian.
I'm so glad the Master knows me, and calls me His own.