"Are you the one who gave the horse his prowess and adorned him with a shimmering mane? Did you create him to prance proudly and strike terror with his royal snorts? He paws the ground fiercely, eager and spirited, then charges into the fray." Job 39:19-21 (The Message Bible)
We watched Secretariat Friday night, so naturally I spent half the weekend surfing the internet researching the famous racehorse, seeing how much I could remember from my childhood of following everything I could find on any horse, with the limited resources of three channels on TV and outdated books at the library. Of course, my study didn’t stick with just the winner of the 1973 Triple Crown. I read about all the famous racehorses from the early 1900’s to the present. It is amazing that I ever get anything done around the house.
What also is amazing is how far back they can trace the bloodlines of some of these horses. The great Man O’ War, from the early twentieth century, can trace his family to the Godolphin Stallion of 1700’s. Some of Man O’ War’s descendants also went on to greatness such as War Admiral, Seabiscuit and Riva Ridge (a stable mate to Secretariat). Others however lived in obscurity, never racing, never earning a name for themselves.
I am sure that we all have the same kind of pedigree with some ancestors we can be proud and some we don’t admit to ever having heard. All I know is that I can’t trace my family roots back any further than the late 1800’s.
The New Testament of the Bible opens with the genealogy of Jesus Christ. What an interesting list that is. Tracing 42 generations, the names include great leaders and faithful followers of the Jewish religion. It may surprise you but that list also includes the names of foreigners and even women of ill repute.
Sometimes we think that God would choose as a family for His son a bloodline that is completely true, without blemish or stain. No matter how great or wonderful someone may have been, though, they have still been sinful and imperfect. Jesus is the only one who has walked this world living a perfect life.
Even Secretariat didn't win every race he ran.
2 comments:
I loved that movie.
It's good to remember he didn't win every race and we won't either.
AS for bloodlines the ones I do know about, worry me the ones I don't, are a blessing.
I have lots of scary genes in my bloodline, but that is what's great about being a Christian. My past, no matter how far back I go, isn't what counts.
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