My poor dog hasn't had much exercise lately. With the temperatures below zero and the wind chills even colder, her master hasn't been willing to take her for a walk. Now that we are experiencing a heat wave that will take us well into the 20s above zero, I will have to make up for it.
The great thing is that my dog will walk with me whenever I invite her. She will ride in the car, go wherever I go, sit with me as I read a book or watch TV, and play without being coaxed. In fact, she rarely lets me out of her sight! She will respond to anything I say and do.
Of course, you say, almost every dog will do that. But that brings a question to mind. Why don't we follow our Master that way?
Now, I know that this analogy doesn't exactly match us. Dogs are naturally followers of a pack. When you become pack leader, your dog follows because it is the nature of a dog to do so.
And yet, we also have a new nature if we are followers of Jesus Christ. He has placed His Spirit within us. We ought to follow Jesus as willingly as our dogs follow us. Not as His pets, but as His children.
John tells us in John 1:12-13: But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
This new birth is not physical, but spiritual. Only God could do that. And only He could place that new nature within us. A nature that can follow Jesus where and how He leads.
But it takes discipline. Just like bundling up and going out on a cold day, walking with Jesus every day takes being dedicated to take time each day to hear His voice through the Bible and through prayer.
Yes, I said we need to hear God through our prayer life. Prayer is not just talking to God and giving Him our list of needs and wants. Save that for Santa. Just like communicating with your spouse or friend is both listening and responding, prayer is listening to God and responding to what He shares with you.
Do you want to have a deeper walk with Jesus? Do you want to know God's will for your life? Listen as you pray. Seek God as you read His Word. Then respond to His voice, rather than hoping He responds to yours.
It takes discipline to walk daily with God. But don't let Him out of your sight. And when He calls you to go with Him, don't hesitate. The best place you can be is with the Master.
The great thing is that my dog will walk with me whenever I invite her. She will ride in the car, go wherever I go, sit with me as I read a book or watch TV, and play without being coaxed. In fact, she rarely lets me out of her sight! She will respond to anything I say and do.
Of course, you say, almost every dog will do that. But that brings a question to mind. Why don't we follow our Master that way?
Now, I know that this analogy doesn't exactly match us. Dogs are naturally followers of a pack. When you become pack leader, your dog follows because it is the nature of a dog to do so.
And yet, we also have a new nature if we are followers of Jesus Christ. He has placed His Spirit within us. We ought to follow Jesus as willingly as our dogs follow us. Not as His pets, but as His children.
John tells us in John 1:12-13: But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
This new birth is not physical, but spiritual. Only God could do that. And only He could place that new nature within us. A nature that can follow Jesus where and how He leads.
But it takes discipline. Just like bundling up and going out on a cold day, walking with Jesus every day takes being dedicated to take time each day to hear His voice through the Bible and through prayer.
Yes, I said we need to hear God through our prayer life. Prayer is not just talking to God and giving Him our list of needs and wants. Save that for Santa. Just like communicating with your spouse or friend is both listening and responding, prayer is listening to God and responding to what He shares with you.
Do you want to have a deeper walk with Jesus? Do you want to know God's will for your life? Listen as you pray. Seek God as you read His Word. Then respond to His voice, rather than hoping He responds to yours.
It takes discipline to walk daily with God. But don't let Him out of your sight. And when He calls you to go with Him, don't hesitate. The best place you can be is with the Master.
