Its Friday afternoon and instead of picking a new movie to attend, I had been delegated to bring home a video. Not my favorite task, but I think this was a mission no one else had the patience nor the energy to tackle. So I launched for the ultimate challenge, the Wal-Mart video bins. I am staring at hundreds of dated titles “loosely” thrown together into a pile to test a saint’s patience. Now I wonder if God gave you only one video to bring into your heavenly entertainment center, what would you choose? “The Ten Commandments” or “The Robe” or maybe something funny or profound. In my search, I found a video rated “A 10" by the American Movie awards. It was a romantic flick and I figured the judges must know their stuff. I’m looking for my favorite actors like Jimmy Stewart and found an old war movie. Then anything by Steve Spielberg with aliens has to be good. Now I’m juggling four titles in my hand with themes about love, war, humor and another world. However, I took one final walk around the video bins and spotted a title in which I put all four videos back in their bin.It was the movie “Hidalgo” a story about a mixed breed, mustang horse that won a 3,000 mile survival race called the “Ocean of Fire” across the Arabian desert. It was a challenge restricted to the finest Arabian horses ever bred, the purest and noblest lines, owned by the greatest royal families.
However, my video choice was both mystery and sublime. In 1890, a wealthy sheik invited an American, Frank T. Hopkins, and his horse to enter the race for the first time. During the course of his career, Frank witnessed the slaughter of his Native Americans which sent him into a depression and alcoholism. Now his horse was invited to race against the world's greatest Arabian horses and Bedouin riders--some of whom are determined to prevent a foreigner from finishing the race. During one scene he is ready to quit the race, however the spirit of his ancestors calls him to greater courage and strength. Despite Hollywood’s love for winners, the real Hidalgo did not win this bedouin race. But just to finish a 3,000 mile trek across a desert would have made any horse and rider a champion.
Now don’t kid yourself, this flick is exactly about your life’s journey. How many times are we given a mission that requires a faith into the unknown and we are afraid to face the task. It might be a vocation to ministry or married life or the single lifestyle. Others might mock our feeble efforts and tell us to quit the race and take the easy road. However, a prayer from within might call upon the Spirit to help us walk these long-distances when we are broken and feel afraid. Remember when the race of life becomes too exhausting the Lord made this promise: ”Lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me. I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.” Psalm 3:5,6.
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends that when they choose a video it reflects all the gifts that You want us to possess for our journey. Let us see You in all our decisions. When we feel different or unsure of our path, help us to reach for your grace to guide our thoughts and actions through our “oceans of fire” until we cross the line into your eternal glory.
