Recently, I was having a discussion with a co-worker (and friend) about her horses. She started using terminology that I did not understand. That is not hard to do in areas I know little about. This day, the words she was using struck me, and held on.

She started talking about "verical flexion," and "lateral flexion." Unknown to her, the questions I began to ask were for intended spiritual purposes. Not because I am so spiritual, but because it was one of those 'God moments' for me.

"Flexion," according to the dictionary is:
-the resulting condition of being bent, or
-the act of bending a joint or limb.

"Vertical Flexion" according to my friend, is - getting a horse to say "yes," or nod up and down, when you first mount up. This lets you know the horse is with you.

"Lateral Flexion" is getting the horse to "kiss your foot," or move the head side to side... a "no" motion.

I read a bit on-line in an article by Clinton Anderson from "Natural Horse" magazine. In it, he conveys that you gain much better control of your horse by lateral flexion than vertical. Why? Because the horse has much more power in nodding yes, than no. Because of the bit in his mouth, or perhaps its neck muscles, it apparently has less stress in the "yes" motion, and it has much more strength vertically than laterally.

I know these concepts are already leaping into your minds. That's why I thought it was so cool. When we say "yes" to our Lord, there is so much more power evident at our disposal. Not because of who we are, but because of who He is, and the fact that we are in agreement with His will.

When we say "no," we have much less fulfillment spiritually speaking. We can do more on our own, but that kind of self-satisfaction is temporary, and empty. It does not cause us to grow in the Lord, it causes a greater chasm between Him and us.

Saying "yes" hurts less than saying "no." So why do we spend so much time saying "no?" Clearly it doesn't make any sense. Like horses, we do have a free will which we like to exercise. The corresponding pain we endure when we say "no," causes much of the difficulty we experience in life.

Saying "yes" connects us directly to the conduit of power that is found in serving our King. We do not have to know where the "yes" is leading, to access it. We simply need to say "yes," and let our actions reflect "yes," and we will be in the flow of His strength! Knowing that "His power is perfected in our weakness" (2Cor. 12:9) suggests that the less we sometimes know, when we say "yes," the more glory the Lord God will receive.

This is a lesson Beej learned very well in his youth. He was not afraid to say "yes." He said it often, though seldom knowing where it would lead. The power the Lord displayed through his life is evident to most of us. His flexion was vertical in a world that is typified by lateral. The "bending" he underwent ultimately served his advantage, and glorified Jesus.

How about you? Are you an example of Vertical or Lateral Flexion? Let your yes be yes!

dad