“O how I miss riding!” He exclaimed after seeing a picture of my horses. As a result of MS, the middle-aged paraplegic would never ride in this life again. Never would he feel a horse moving off of the cue of his seat or spur or feel the rush of the wind in his face from an unrestrained gallop across an open field. The thought saddened me deeply for a moment.

  A thought occurred to me, and I murmured, “You will someday my friend.”  In my mind’s eye I was suddenly in a heavenly place; beholding the Lord Jesus on His white horse with His robe dipped in blood, and there sat I, near enough to see Him. When finally I was able to tear my eyes away from His majesty, I felt a tingle of awe as I saw the myriads of the saints, all dressed in white, their own mounts stamping with the excitement that filled the air.

 The Christ’s eyes flashed fire as He raised His sword. His horse sprung forward and the saints gave a great battle cry as they followed their Lord, their horses snorting and leaping, spilling over the parapet of heaven to follow the King to earth for the great and terrible day of the Lord.

A fistful of strong silken mane in my hands and a pounding in my heart, my mount and I raced forward with the rest, and looking round, I saw there, my friend amidst the throng of the citizens of heaven, his legs, once useless on earth, now wrapped around the barrel of one of these magnificent beasts! His face had lost the worries and cares of many earthly troubles. My green eyes caught his brown ones and I flashed him a grin. Then, both our eyes focused back on what was before us, as our hearts raced wildly with the thrill of a battle that belonged already, to the Lord.

And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. (Revelation 19:14)

Epilogue 4.3.2025

This remembrance hits me differently today than it did when I wrote it. Lonnie died last year from MS. Too young to go. Now he is whole. I never met him in person. We were only Facebook friends. Lonnie had a heart full of love for the Lord Jesus and to serve others. I know the Lord welcomed him home with the embrace of a “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

The rest of the story has yet to play out. I’ll see him there, in the clouds someday, my brother, my friend.