Out Our Way: Use all your strength

THE GOSPEL

ACCORDING TO GOLIATH

"That evening, at sundown, the people brought to Jesus all who were sick or possessed by demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured those who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons; and he would not allow the demons to speak because they knew him."

Mark 1:32-34

Out our way, horses and cowboys often build special bonds. Take me and Goliath. Now I am far from a real cowboy, but Goliath and I did get to do a little riding for folks who weren't all that particular. Some of you may recall that time we rode fence with Charlie for our pal, Pete, up in the Bear Paws. It was a beautiful day and most of the cattle drifted away from us into the trees and the hawthorn bushes - which was fine with us as we were merely checking fence and weren't having to play hide and seek with any scatter-brained calves, nor tag with any fun-loving bulls. Just check fence - and especially the corners.

Now, one corner was right smack up against a big grove of hawthorn bushes - and while there was a distinct cattle trail into the midst of them, it was just too narrow and low to ride Goliath in there, so I dismounted and walked in. After all, I only needed to check the corner it looked to be only a few yards in. Indeed it was - but there was also a dry creek bed. Well, almost dry. I stepped off a rock onto what I thought was fairly dry soil and discovered it was just plain old mud! Schlook! Down to my thigh in gunk.

I hopped back out - but one of my boots did not. It stayed firmly gripped by the loving squeeze of Montana mud. I reached down and tried to pull it out, but it was not going to budge! I hung onto a tree branch and reached over to pull my boot out of the muck - but nope, caint be did! It was S-T-U-C-K!!!! So there I was, in my stocking feet on a rock, with my boot planted firmly in the mud.

Now, I am sure I was merely parsing some Greek verbs, but Goliath heard me and stuck his nose under the hawthorn bushes at the top of the cattle trail wondering what all the commotion was about.

About that time, straining and pulling with all my might and getting nowhere, my hat falls off and as I turn to pick it up - still doing Greek verbs I am sure! - and I spot old Doc. And I remember an old story of a kid who was trying to lift a big rock and his daddy said, "Use all your strength!" The kid said, "I am!" and the father said, "No, son, you are not - for you haven't asked me for help yet!"    

I spotted the rope on my saddle and suddenly realized I hadn't used all of my strength either! I hobbled up to Goliath, dallied the rope around the horn and then went down and tied off that boot. Then I went back up and moved Goliath back, the rope went taught, and "pop," that boot came out of the gunk slick as you please. Sometimes you have to look beyond yourself to discover all your strength.

There were a lot of sick people in that seaside town of Capernaum where Jesus began recruiting disciples from the working class poor. Many of them had gone to the doctors and tried the various medicines local establishments sold - but they were still sick. They had done everything they could to be healed and made whole ... or so they thought. And then came Jesus - reminding them that until they turned to God, they hadn't used ALL their strength.

The illnesses and the demons could resist the efforts of the physicians and the medicines - but not the hand of God. The demons kept silent when Jesus spoke, "for they knew him." Most of the sick did not ... but when they were not afraid to ask. And they were not disappointed.

There is no "magical" prayer or incantation that will guarantee healing for those who seek it. Yet there are many who will testify to the healing power of prayer in Jesus' name they have experienced. I have known people who have been healed and also people who have not. I cannot tell you why one and not the other. This is beyond my feeble capacity to understand. But I do know that until I call on my Father in Heaven, I have not used all my strength - and I will not cease to call on His Name on behalf of those who ask it. Then I leave it up to God. I believe there is a reason for what happens, even if it is beyond me. My task is to use all my strength, and I have not done so until I turn to God.

(John Bruington, Goliath and Scout can be reached at [email protected]. Copies of this and other columns as well as Bruin Town Tales and cartoons are available at www. havrepres.org. The book "Out Our Way" is available at Amazon.com.)