The First Step Toward Following

by Ami Hendrickson

Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.

Ruth 1:16

Theo, the yearling colt, pranced around me. He was a Percheron – a giant breed. Even now, he was already the size of some full-grown horses.

I wanted him to trust me, not fear me. But Theo wasn’t interested in anything I wanted. And I wasn’t interested in being dragged or trampled.

So, we worked in a round pen: a circular enclosure sixty feet in diameter. For a while, Theo ran around, bucking and snorting. If I moved toward him, he turned from me and ran.

This little dance played out repeatedly until—

I moved toward him and instead of turning away, he turned toward me.

This changed everything.

I stopped moving. Theo stood still. Then he took a step my way, instantly realizing that the more he listened to me, the easier life became.

Today, Theo is fifteen years old. He weighs over a ton and stands six feet high at the shoulder. No matter where he is when I whistle, he comes running. I don’t need a rope to lead him: he will follow me anywhere.

Likewise, God will never force us to come to Him, but He continually offers us a better life if we only join our hearts to His. Without Him in charge, we simply run in useless circles. Turning toward Him is the first step in a lifetime of following where He leads.

Pray

Holy Father,
I want to turn toward You.
I want to willingly follow You anywhere.
Help me follow You today and always.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.