A DOG Gone Sermon

Dog really is man’s best friend – especially when the man allows the dog to teach him a thing or two about living.

Jade was a black toy poodle that came to live with us a few years ago. He was given to us as a gift from a close friend of mine to my daughter. After Jade came to live with us, our lives were never the same. He had to be fed (at least once a day), bathed (about every two weeks), groomed (about every six weeks), walked (whenever nature called), petted (regularly or he had temper tantrums), and disciplined (whenever he misbehaved, which was usually right after a temper tantrum).

For all the responsibility that came with owning a dog, we all loved Jade and enjoyed having him around. He had a very complex personality. One moment he’d be barking like he was going to tear somebody apart; the next moment he’s be whimpering and running for cover. One moment he’d be annoyingly playful; the next moment he’d be pitifully melancholy. This constant paradox of behaviors made for interesting observations on human behavior – especially mine.

For example, one morning I was having my daily quiet time with the Lord inside our den while Jade took his morning relief in the backyard near the patio. He seemed content to roam about in the wide open space as long as he could see me through the glass door between us.

Then I got up and went into the next room. The next thing I knew, Jade was jumping up on the door and yelping to be let inside. So I returned to the den and opened the door. Immediately, Jade made a dash for his kennel next to one of the two chairs in the room. There he reluctantly stayed whimpering as though he was imprisoned when actually the door to the kennel was wide open. He had the freedom to walk anywhere in our house he wanted yet he chose self-confinement.
“Poor, stupid Jade,” I thought.

Then I heard a still small voice whisper, “Like owner, like pet.”

Suddenly, I realized the parallel between Jade’s dilemma and my own. God has adopted me into His family. I belong to Him like Jade belonged to us. He provides for all my needs just like I provided for all of Jade’s needs. He has given me full access to all of His world to come and go like Jade was free to come and go around our house and yard.

As long as I can comfortably see God’s hand or sense His nearness, I am quite content. But the moment He seems out of sight and distant, I become afraid and want to run back into the comfort zone of my own man-made safety.

The problem is while I may be comfortable and reasonably safe being able to look out for myself, I don’t enjoy the solitude of self-confinement. I, like Jade, long to enjoy my God-given freedom, yet I am afraid to risk leaving the familiar for the unknown. The door of opportunity is wide open, but I must step out in faith if I am ever to discover the treasures to be found in my Father’s house.

What about you? Have you conveniently locked yourself away for safe-keeping in some familiar yet cramped comfort zone of your own making? If so, I want you to know that our Father longs for you and I to stop whining and get on with rejoicing! He will wait patiently for us to make the first move, but be forewarned! If we take too long getting out of the boxes we have made, He will overturn them and force us out of our comfort zones. Having had that experience recently, I assure you you would rather embrace your future than be propelled into it unexpectedly.

But either way, God is still faithful and He will see to it that we learn to enjoy living by the walk of faith in Him. Remember, dog spelled backward is still man’s best friend.

Here’s a little something to remind us we have every reason to be joyful. Enjoy!

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