Spiritual Horsepower

Today, the third Sunday of Advent, is known to the super-duper Episcopalian as “Stirrup Sunday.”  Today’s prayer begins, “Stir up your strength, O Lord, and come to help us.”

            Many years ago, as a college student, I remember when to churchophiles were in coffee hour and making much mirth as they talked about the liturgical humor of Stirrup Sunday.  “And that means that we all are cowboys!” one said to the other in a flurry of giggles.  “Or cowgirls!” exclaimed the other in howls of laughter.

            Being rather left-brained, I didn’t join in that merriment.  Instead, my mind went to the stables where I had been as a boy, learning about and loving horses.  In my mind I climbed once again into the stirrups of a Mr. Ed sort of horse.  I imagined what it would be like to ride like the wind, as so many men did in those great Westerns of film and television.  I learned something about horsepower in nature before I felt it in the gas pedal.

            Later, I learned about “spiritual horsepower.”  Listen to the remainder of the prayer:  “And because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us.”  Horses have a wonderful sense of how to use their power.  The rider may urge on the horse, but when she senses danger, or sees the trail ahead to be dangerous, she will stop.  I mean, she will stop and go no further, no matter what the prodding or the stirring in the stirrups.  For then the stirrups are human force and will.

            When we are in divine stirrups—when God is stirring up grace and mercy—then spiritual horsepower comes into a life. Human shortfalls and shortcomings hinder us from completing our ride, our journey.  The word “sorely” is a magnificent Old English term that, in our time, means “stubbornly.”  And those shortcomings and shortfalls can be very stubborn indeed.

            One must ride through gentle terrain and hard paths to learn about spiritual horsepower, and to be able to use godly stirrups to keep balance and focus for whatever is ahead.

            Stirrup Sunday is all about spiritual horsepower.  And that just makes horse sense to me.