September 29th

There was a cowboy who had a favorite mare. He had taught her from a filly, and she served him well. He was proud of her obedience and taught her to come to him immediately when he whistled a certain way.

One night a herd of wild horses ran through the ranch and broke down the horse corral. In the morning he found his mare gone and set out to find her. His tracking led him to a canyon, where he hid to assess the situation. He located his mare, but grazing near her was the stallion. The cowboy whistled his special whistle softly, hoping to get the mare’s attention, but not to spook the stallion. The mare lifted her head and looked around, but did not see her master, so she went back to her grazing. The cowboy whistled again, but more loudly this time, still remaining out of sight. Both the mare and the stallion lifted their heads, and the stallion, upon hearing the unfamiliar sound, decided to move the herd away. At that the cowboy stood up in plain sight and whistled as loudly as he could. The little mare stopped in her tracks while the herd thundered off. She threw up her head and looked, first at the cowboy, then at the herd, and back at the cowboy. Right at that moment that little mare had a divided heart. Should she follow the crowd, or return to her master.

There are decisions which come before us as believers that sometimes make us stop and consider the same question. The right choice, the one the mare made, is to return to our Master.

DIVIDED HEART
Divided Heart, o hear your Master.
He calls to you o’er this world’s din.
His gentle voice e’er calls you to Him.
That you might leave your paths of sin.

His clarion call is heard each morning
And as the shades of evening start.
‘Tis clear above your daily battles.
O, come to Him, Divided Heart.

Divided Heart, the world surrounds you.
Confusion crowds and causes doubt.
Things you desire seem all important,
And Mammon pushes Jesus out.

Divided Heart, turn and obey Him.
Heed and respond to His true call.
He loves and seeks His peace to give you.
He’ll guide and help you not to fall.

Prayer: Father, draw me back to You when I stray from Your protection and service.