As I sit here and reflect back, I remember my youth. I am surprised at how rebellious and disobedient I was, and often still can be: not just to my parents back then, but more importantly to God, my Heavenly Father, today. If someone today was to tell me, "You practice witchcraft," needless to say I would be very offended. I'd say, "NO WAY!" But let's see what God says about rebellion in his Word, the Bible:
1st Samuel 15:23: "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (divination), and stubborness is as iniquity and idolatry."
WOW! Even though God was speaking through Samuel to Saul, those words still ring true to us all today. Don't think for a minute that the word "rebellion" had a different meaning in that scripture quote than it does today. As the Spirit enlightens me on this concept, I'm able to draw several spiritual analogies concerning myself as a rebellious youth, a donkey's colt, and a Ford Mustang (Colt). My Webster's Dictionary defines the word colt as: "A wild, untamed mustang or young donkey's colt." The world today seems to be filled with all kinds of "rebellious colts": not just the four-legged kind but the two-legged, young and old, human kind.
I can think of a little story concerning another fictional type of "Rebellious Mustang (Colt)." The colt in this story doesn't have four legs but four tires.
I know where there is an old Ford Mustang (Colt) that is waiting to be restored or recreated, if you will. One day my parent will recreate that old rusty thing into a new creation, one of true beauty. Let's pretend for a moment, that he has already done so. How proud he would be of all his hard work and labor. It is the day of the first test drive. Just imagine his reaction when he sits behind the wheel and turns the car on, only to find out that something is wrong. When he pushes on the gas for the car to go, it stops! When he pushes on the brake to stop, it goes! When he tries to turn the car right, it goes the wrong way. It seems that the creation (the car) might believe that even though it was created by the Ford Motor Company, it has no faith or belief in the one that created it for his purpose. It has no will to obey its creator. It strives to exercise its own self will. If one didn't know better, they'd think that the car was possessed, or under spell of, what - witchcraft? Certainly its creator would not tolerate that rebellion.
Now we know that in real life, cars do not and cannot act that way. But we, as God's creations, can and often do. God desires us to obey him, but he directs us to go and we stop. He wants us to go the right way and we go the wrong way instead. Like that Rebellious Mustang (Colt), we were created for a purpose, too.
John 1:3 "All things were created by him (the Word, that is, God or Christ); and without him was not anything made that was made."
John 1:10 "He (the Word - God, made flesh - Christ) was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not."
Hebrews 1:2 "(God) hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made (created) the worlds (ages)."
Colossians 1:18 "For by him (Jesus Christ) were all things created that are in heaven and are in (on) the earth, visible and invisible....all things were created by him and for him."
Revelation 4:11 "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."
The vessel was marred - its usefulness thought lost.
Shattered and broken, its beauty was sin's cost.
But hope still remained - just one tiny ray,
For at the feet of the Master Potter Creator it lay.
He knelt and picked up each little piece.
Compassionate, tender- his touch brought such peace,
And hope that, although there would be much pain,
All would be well and whole again.
The Master Potter Creator remade, with love and with skill,
A vessel of great value, for his purpose and will.
Though shattered and broken, cast down in defeat,
There's hope for broken vessels at the Master Potter Creator's feet.
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
Resist verbally complaining and boring others with your troubles;
If you can eat the same food everyday and be grateful for it,
And understand when your loved ones are too busy to give any time;
If you can take criticism without blame or resentment,
Ignore a friend's mistakes and never correct them;
If you can always treat your rich and poor friends the same;
If you can face the world without telling lies and deceit,
And conquer tension without medical help;
If you can honestly say deep in your heart that you have no prejudice
Against creed, color, religion, or politics;
Then, my friend, you are almost as good as your pet!
