In 1956, Harry de Leyer, a riding instructor, attended an auction in Pennsylvania with the purpose of purchasing a horse for his more nervous riders. Driving in his old station wagon, Harry arrived too late, the sale was over. Not wanting to return empty-handed Harry looked at the horses heading to the slaughterhouse and made an offer on an old, manure and dirt covered, grey horse with kind eyes. On returning home when his daughter saw the horse on that snowy winter’s day, she named him Snowman.
After several years Harry sold the horse to his neighbor, but Snowman repeatedly jumped over the fence and came back to the family he knew and loved. Even when the neighbor built a higher fence and tied a tire to the horse, Snowman would still jump over the fence, tire, and all! And so, Harry, who had always wanted a show jumper began to train the Snowman. I’m sure you can imagine the faces and laughter of those at his first competition as Harry rode into the ring on this common grey horse, scarred by his early life! But this old grey horse had the last laugh and beat them all. During his five-year career Snowman won all the prominent jumping competitions in America, was named horse of the year and in 1992 inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame.
Doesn’t this story fill your heart with joy, we all love a tale when the underdog wins the day! It reminded me of a verse in Psalms 40:2; “𝑯𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓, 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒆. 𝑯𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈.” Jesus took me, a sinner, covered in mud, dirt on my feet, the scars of a battered life evident on my skin and set me on the solid rock, He washed my dirty and weary feet and set a banqueting table before me!
God sees the potential in our tired and tear-stained eyes, rescues us from the slaughterhouse, knowing that He can take you from glory to glory! Our Abba Father sees us as someone who can be molded like potters’ clay into something useful, something beautiful, outstanding even. Truly He is the God of miracles.
Thankful for a Father who sees potential!
Claire's Prayer 