In a Dog's Body

a Sonbeam from warren and mary beth

It was a little before seven this morning and Mary Beth was searching the sunroom for a cookbook that has a certain Banana Muffin recipe in it. As I walked down the hallway to add my two cents as to the hiding place of the book, I paused at the doorway leading to the living room, leaned up against the door frame, and looked towards the overstuffed chair next to the front windows.

There sat Delilah, still the puppy at almost two years old now. When I stopped and looked at her, her ears perked up and she somewhat froze from what she was doing. Although she is allowed in the house, Delilah is not permitted up on any of the furniture.

Well, she didn't move and neither did I. After a minute or so, she went back to chewing on her foot. Since I did not make her get down immediately, she probably took that as my approval of her disobedience.

I shuffled my foot on our wooden floor, making just enough noise to attract Delilah's attention. She sat upright and prepared to jump down. When once again I didn't do anything, she returned to enjoying her 'new-found Freedom' to do what she wanted. I simply smiled at her actions.

But as I watched her, the Lord was speaking to me and I began writing this piece in my mind. He loves me way too much to waste this experience. Just about then is when Mary Beth cried out in success; she had found the book and was going to use those bananas before they were past the eating stage.

Seeing me leaning up against the doorway, she asked if I was okay. I said yes, and told her that God was teaching me something.

Delilah knew she was where she did not belong (as I sometimes find myself). She saw me and started to jump down (just like I do when I know I am in a situation that the Lord does not want me in), but when I did not move to make Delilah obey (like God does not make me obey Him), she just kept on doing what she had been doing (like I unfortunately do sometimes, also). She mistook my patience for my approval…….. the same way I do with the Lord occasionally.

You and I know when we are doing those things that God does not want us to do. He is not going to stop in the doorway, stare at us, and call down some hailstorm on us in order to make us do His will.

Instead, He sends His Holy Spirit continually, consistently, moment-by-moment to speak to our spirit about the love, forgiveness, and grace of our Lord…….. leading us into a deeper knowledge and understanding of the right things to do…….if we will just follow Him.

It was not Delilah …….it was really me, in a dog's body…….. curled up in that chair in disobedience. Please forgive me, Lord; I'd like to get down now. Please help me resist the temptation to get back up into places where I know you don't want me.

Into His Words

"Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.'" John
14:23-26 New King James Version