Disobedience

As most of you know, my Dog got sprayed by a skunk the other night. It was her own curiosity that got her in trouble. I usually let her out in the yard (even though it isn’t fenced in) when I am with her and she knows that she isn’t supposed to go into the wooded area. There has to be trust placed there..for her not to go in there. She must trust that what I am saying is for her own protection. In order to trust me, she must know me…and that she does. I have owned her for ten years now and have spent a lot of time with her. I’m going somewhere with this..bear with me.
In order to teach her to obey me, she must trust that I have the best intentions at heart for her. So I show her love…I spend time with her…I am attentive to her needs/desires. This is what God does with us. In order for us to really trust him..he reveals himself to us when we seek him.
I was surprised that Cookie (my Dog), disobeyed me, especially considering she knows better than to go in those woods. It is something I warn her about every single time we go outside. Sometimes she will take a step and try to test me..with one foot in the woods. I just look at her and say a firm NO and she steps back in obedience. But not this time. She was so intent on going her own way and following the scent of that skunk, that she completely ignored my voice and every attempt to stop her.
One small act of disobedience led to Cookie getting sprayed by a skunk. I praise God that the results could have been far worse and she wasn’t hurt. How many times have we “strayed” from God’s voice..drowning it out as we keep stepping further and further on our own way? He warns us, but sometimes our own curiosity gets the best of us and we venture out, only to return to God..sometimes stinky…other times just feeling stinky. The analogy of this situation was far too important to ignore and not write about. After she got sprayed, I immediately went to the store and bought tomato juice (as rumor has it that that is what works best.) As I was pouring the tomato juice on her, I was thinking about the blood of Christ. How I was washing her clean…wow..God is so good!!
Let us be obedient and trust God that he always knows best.

Father, today I pray that we can be obedient to you and your warnings to us. Help us to overcome the temptations that would weigh us down and help us to turn to your voice and follow you instead. In Jesus’ name, amen.

James 4:7- Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.