I’ve learned a lot from my dog. I’ve learned about my own relationship with God. See, my dog is completely dependent on me in many ways. I feed her, walk her, clean up her poop, and scratch her behind the ears. Without me, she’d be a stray on the streets, and she’d probably get hit by a car in no time... probably while she’s chasing a cat across the street.
Sometimes she wants to please me; sometimes she wants to please herself. She does both at times. When we go for a walk, she stays by me sometimes, looks up at me sometimes, and sometimes she tries to go off after cats. Let me tell you, at those times, all that matters is the cat. In the moment, she doesn’t even know that I exist. You might say she’s, um, sinning.
She doesn’t even notice if there’s a car coming, she’s so focused on that cat. She could get squished flat before she knows it, so it's up to me to correct her and to teach her how to behave. In fact, it's my responsibility.
So, let’s just say I’m like God (big stretch, I know) and my dog is like a sinful person. What’s going on here?
Do I love her even when she’s sinning? Of course!
Do I get mad when she steals tissues from the bathroom trash can, tears them to shreds, and spreads them around the house? Of course! (Ewww.)
At those times, I just have to fold my arms and look at her and she runs under the bed.
Once, she stole a box of chocolates and ate it. I know this because there were bits of foil in... well... I found evidence that she’d eaten it. (Dumb dog. I’d explained to her that this could kill her, but did she listen? No!) Oh, I got maaad. I folded my arms and glared at her, and she ran under the bed.
Now, wait. I’ve read that if even a minute has passed, a dog doesn’t know it’s done something wrong; it’s simply reacting to its owner’s emotion. I can’t tell. She knows she did something wrong, or she knows I’m angry. I’m not sure if she puts the two together. But I do it anyway.
Am I a spiteful, hateful master? No! In a few minutes all will be forgiven and I’ll be scratching her behind the ears... then she’ll go out back and dig a hole in the garden, and I’ll get mad again, she'll be sorry - I think - and I’ll have to forgive her again.
My analogy doesn't quite fit, of course. The biggest difference is that I’m not like God... but to my dog, I might as well be. I provide her with all that she needs; food, a home, love, and a few squeaky toys.
God provides me with all that I need, and then some. He’s even provided me with a manual, the Holy Spirit, and the ability to reason, which my dog doesn’t seem to have. And yet, often I go chasing after... well, not cats, but my own selfish desires.
Does He still love me? Of course!
Does He still want me to stop sinning and look lovingly at him? Of course!
Will I be obedient and ALWAYS look lovingly at my God? I have to say it... no. At times, I want my own way; I forget to pray; I do stupid, selfish things. I sin. (for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God... Romans 3:23) The good news? He forgives me. (...and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24)
I don’t believe God punishes us directly for our sins, but lots of times my sins have bad consequences. And when I know I’ve sinned, I figuratively run under the bed.
Then out I crawl, I pray, and we start over again, my God and I; my loving master.
Sometimes she wants to please me; sometimes she wants to please herself. She does both at times. When we go for a walk, she stays by me sometimes, looks up at me sometimes, and sometimes she tries to go off after cats. Let me tell you, at those times, all that matters is the cat. In the moment, she doesn’t even know that I exist. You might say she’s, um, sinning.
She doesn’t even notice if there’s a car coming, she’s so focused on that cat. She could get squished flat before she knows it, so it's up to me to correct her and to teach her how to behave. In fact, it's my responsibility.
So, let’s just say I’m like God (big stretch, I know) and my dog is like a sinful person. What’s going on here?
Do I love her even when she’s sinning? Of course!
Do I get mad when she steals tissues from the bathroom trash can, tears them to shreds, and spreads them around the house? Of course! (Ewww.)
At those times, I just have to fold my arms and look at her and she runs under the bed.
Once, she stole a box of chocolates and ate it. I know this because there were bits of foil in... well... I found evidence that she’d eaten it. (Dumb dog. I’d explained to her that this could kill her, but did she listen? No!) Oh, I got maaad. I folded my arms and glared at her, and she ran under the bed.
Now, wait. I’ve read that if even a minute has passed, a dog doesn’t know it’s done something wrong; it’s simply reacting to its owner’s emotion. I can’t tell. She knows she did something wrong, or she knows I’m angry. I’m not sure if she puts the two together. But I do it anyway.
Am I a spiteful, hateful master? No! In a few minutes all will be forgiven and I’ll be scratching her behind the ears... then she’ll go out back and dig a hole in the garden, and I’ll get mad again, she'll be sorry - I think - and I’ll have to forgive her again.
My analogy doesn't quite fit, of course. The biggest difference is that I’m not like God... but to my dog, I might as well be. I provide her with all that she needs; food, a home, love, and a few squeaky toys.
God provides me with all that I need, and then some. He’s even provided me with a manual, the Holy Spirit, and the ability to reason, which my dog doesn’t seem to have. And yet, often I go chasing after... well, not cats, but my own selfish desires.
Does He still love me? Of course!
Does He still want me to stop sinning and look lovingly at him? Of course!
Will I be obedient and ALWAYS look lovingly at my God? I have to say it... no. At times, I want my own way; I forget to pray; I do stupid, selfish things. I sin. (for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God... Romans 3:23) The good news? He forgives me. (...and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:24)
I don’t believe God punishes us directly for our sins, but lots of times my sins have bad consequences. And when I know I’ve sinned, I figuratively run under the bed.
Then out I crawl, I pray, and we start over again, my God and I; my loving master.
Peace, Love, and Squeaky-toys
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