The Ballestero Blog

No Son, You Can’t Have A Pony

I love riding gaited horses. I have ridden thousands of miles over a lifetime on fast racking horses. Although I am not a horseman, I still love them. A man on a good horse can cover a lot of ground in a day.

I’ve enjoyed many week-long trail rides with my friends over the years. Opportunities to ride have been scarce of late, however.

Horse riding is something many of the world’s children long to do. It’s almost like the desire is born into little children. But the Lord told Israel that he didn’t want them to have any horses. Why?

It sounds harsh I suppose to the twenty-first century mind. Why would God say ‘NO’ to owning a horse?

• His mother rode a donkey to the stable where He was born.
• He rode on a young ass that had never been ridden when the cried Hosanna.
• When He comes back to Judge, He will be riding on a white horse.

So, what’s the deal? Why did God tell Israel when they came out of Egypt that He did not want them to own a horse? Why did God prefer that they walk and not ride?

• Was He being insensitive?
• Was He being cruel?
• Was He just being harsh?
• Was He treating them like the slaves they had been?

Actually, Jehovah was doing all of Israel a favor. In his mercy, he cared for them. He provided food and water. He guided them safely. He even parted the seas for them.

He wanted to take His people out of bondage and lead them to a glorious place. A place we call the Promised Land.

The problem with God’s plan was that he had to get Egypt out of Israel. The journey would be stressful and wearisome. It would cause the people to criticize both Moses and Him many times.

With much ado, He finally got His children across the Red Sea and into the Wilderness and away from Egypt. So, what’s that have to do with the horses?

Deut. 17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

God didn’t want His people to go back into Egypt. He had delivered them and He wanted them to stay delivered. The Lord also knew the weakness of their flesh.

At the 1^st sign of trouble, disappointment or delusion, there would, no doubt, be some that would get on their horses and ride away.

Does it ever cross your mind, that there may be things that God has not placed in your life as a safe guard? Something He did not put there for your own good?

God eliminated the prospect of Israel making a hasty retreat in times of frustration. He did it because He loved them. He did it for their own good.  In love the Father said, “No, my son, you can’t have a pony.”

Maybe the Lord didn’t answer that prayer request of yours because He saw that it just might be the horse that would carry you back to Egypt. You don’t actually think that God would equip you to leave Him, do you?

Israel later had horses. But permission was not given in the Wilderness. Timing was everything. It still is.

He really is a good God! He will even keep you from messing up if you’ll let Him.

Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,