Last week there was a video on facebook of hundreds of wild horses that were running in the snow. It was a majestic picture of strength and freedom. The horse is a symbol of meekness or power under control. The phrase “running with the horses” came about to symbolize a person who is strong and fast and at the top of their game in whatever they do. Jeremiah shows us what that means.
Jeremiah 12:5
“If you have raced with runners and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in a peaceful land, what will you do in the thickets of the Jordan?”
Out of Their League
Jeremiah is calling Israel out. They are overly impressed with themselves and think they can compete with the larger nations. He tells them they can’t even run with people like themselves, how are they going to keep up with the big dogs? They were out of their league and were setting themselves up for a fall. What’s most telling is that Jeremiah said: “If you stumble in a peaceful land, what will you do in the thickets?” Essentially, if you can live right when things are easy, what is going to happen when things get tough?
Remain Humble
Sometimes you convince yourself that you are better than you are. You talk a good game, but your actions don’t back it up. You boast of how you can do things only to make excuses with the opportunity presents itself. There is nothing wrong with having high expectations, but if you aren’t willing to put in the work to get there, then it is best to keep silent. The prideful person thinks more of himself while the humble person thinks less of himself.
Running With the Horses
Israel eventually collapsed because they were spiritually blind. Don’t be guilty of the same thing. Be honest about your shortcomings, and don’t boast of what you’re not capable. Ask the Lord to build you up where you can get to the point of running with the horses. Allow Him to do the work necessary to fix what is broken and strengthen what is weak. As you grow, you will become more confident in your faith.