“Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.” Job 39:19-25
The opening quote of the movie ‘Secretariat’ came out of this small paragraph amongst all of what God questioned Job about when he had justified himself rather than God. Here God Himself is questioning Job about his capabilities as a man. In doing so the strength, stamina, and endurance of horses is enunciated succinctly. The movie portrays a combination of strength in the horse, the jockey, the trainer, and the owner towards the focus of winning what is known in horse racing as The Triple Crown.
I personally enjoyed the presentation of this horse and its amazing achievement in its speed and endurance. In the end I was brought back to God’s Word simply by the fact that God’s Word was quoted in conjunction with such a horse. Again, God’ speaks of such great qualities of the horse. But at the same time I had read another part of God’s Word that also mentioned the horse.
“Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.”
Psalm 147:7-11
God, who created the horse and with all of creation said, It is very good, and then spoke of its typical characteristics and qualities to a man named Job, is noted as ‘not delighting in the strength of the horse’. There are many true stories of great accomplishments among men in meeting amazing challenges and overcoming of which ‘Secretariat’ is one. These stories are realistically known as once in a lifetime achievements that hold a record or several records that others only dream of or attempt unsuccessfully to reach. They are held out as ‘good examples’ and ‘role models’ which inspire what man considers ‘greatness’. But here God has an amazing qualification for what He takes pleasure in: “The LORD takes pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” This is not what many consider unreachable goals. This is in fact from man’s capability something every man and woman ever born, save the son of perdition, can have said of them, The LORD takes pleasure in them. Over the great qualities of the horse which God himself stated in His rebuff of Job? Yes. Over all creation of which God said, It is very good? Yes. Yet man so often cannot grasp how fearing God and hoping in his mercy is all that is necessary or even required for the LORD to take pleasure in them. This is truly in the capability of any man. That is how God designed man in his own image.
FEAR GOD AND HOPE IN HIS MERCY.
