Jean Coleman's Blog - Posts Tagged "dogs"
THE OBEDIENT DOG
A man and his faithful dog were taking a walk through the woods. It was a beautiful day and the dog trotted eagerly along at the side of his master. Suddenly the man stopped and picked up a large stick from off the ground. The dog wagged his tail enthusiastically. He knew what was going to happen next. He was so excited.
"Fetch!" the man commanded as he threw the stick across the field. Instantly the dog was off and running. How he loved to chase after the stick. He picked it up and carried it proudly in his mouth as he came racing back to the side of his master.
"Good dog!" exclaimed the man. And picking up the stick, he once more cast it forth for the dog to retrieve. "Fetch!" Again the dog went bounding across the field after the stick. It was the dog's favorite game. It was so exciting when his master would throw the stick for him to fetch.
As the dog dropped the stick at the man's feet, he wondered how far his master would throw it the next time. Oh, there it went! The stick was in the air! The dog waited expectanly, his muscles straining as he anticipated the order to fetch. Then the man spoke forth with great authority and the dog heard the command, "Stay!"
The dog looked longingly across the field to where the stick was lying, but he remained steadfast at his master's feet. It was so much harder for him to stay than to fetch, but the dog was being taught obedience. After a few moments, the man reached down and patted the dog's head. "Good boy. Now come on, it's time to head back home." And without even a backward glance at the far off stick, the dog faithfully followed his master along the path toward the house.
It is my prayer that someday we might all develop that dog-like attitude of obedience. So often our attitude seems to be, "Lord, we want to walk with You as long as You allow us to chase after the stick. Just don't ask us to sit and stay!"
Let us fetch the stick, Lord! We don't want to just sit at Your feet. Fetching the stick always looks like the most exciting thing to do. Let us chase after signs and wonders. Let us visit foreign lands and preach the gospel. Who wants to sit at Your feet when there's a stick waiting out there to fetch?
How long is our obedience training going to take? Will we ever learn that a period of waiting is often God's perfect will? What does it take to convince us that it can be just as important to stay as it is to fetch?
So many times we react to the command to stay by putting up our hackles and growling at the Master. We murmur and complain about our situations and occasionally even leave the Lord's side to chase after the stick. But there is never any joy in fetching the stick in disobedience.
Lord, make us willing to sit at Your feet. We want be like Mary of old who sat at Your feet and chose the good part. Teach us to be content and to learn to stay and to wait. The true joy comes when you are able to sit quietly at the Lord's feet and hear Him say, "Well done." That's the great reward of staying
"Fetch!" the man commanded as he threw the stick across the field. Instantly the dog was off and running. How he loved to chase after the stick. He picked it up and carried it proudly in his mouth as he came racing back to the side of his master.
"Good dog!" exclaimed the man. And picking up the stick, he once more cast it forth for the dog to retrieve. "Fetch!" Again the dog went bounding across the field after the stick. It was the dog's favorite game. It was so exciting when his master would throw the stick for him to fetch.
As the dog dropped the stick at the man's feet, he wondered how far his master would throw it the next time. Oh, there it went! The stick was in the air! The dog waited expectanly, his muscles straining as he anticipated the order to fetch. Then the man spoke forth with great authority and the dog heard the command, "Stay!"
The dog looked longingly across the field to where the stick was lying, but he remained steadfast at his master's feet. It was so much harder for him to stay than to fetch, but the dog was being taught obedience. After a few moments, the man reached down and patted the dog's head. "Good boy. Now come on, it's time to head back home." And without even a backward glance at the far off stick, the dog faithfully followed his master along the path toward the house.
It is my prayer that someday we might all develop that dog-like attitude of obedience. So often our attitude seems to be, "Lord, we want to walk with You as long as You allow us to chase after the stick. Just don't ask us to sit and stay!"
Let us fetch the stick, Lord! We don't want to just sit at Your feet. Fetching the stick always looks like the most exciting thing to do. Let us chase after signs and wonders. Let us visit foreign lands and preach the gospel. Who wants to sit at Your feet when there's a stick waiting out there to fetch?
How long is our obedience training going to take? Will we ever learn that a period of waiting is often God's perfect will? What does it take to convince us that it can be just as important to stay as it is to fetch?
So many times we react to the command to stay by putting up our hackles and growling at the Master. We murmur and complain about our situations and occasionally even leave the Lord's side to chase after the stick. But there is never any joy in fetching the stick in disobedience.
Lord, make us willing to sit at Your feet. We want be like Mary of old who sat at Your feet and chose the good part. Teach us to be content and to learn to stay and to wait. The true joy comes when you are able to sit quietly at the Lord's feet and hear Him say, "Well done." That's the great reward of staying
