I often think that God gives me object lessons in my life to teach me important things. Lately, He has a placed a very big object into my life. We recently acquired a dog. Her name is Lulu. Lulu is half Burnese Mountain dog and half Aussie Shepherd. Both of these types of dogs are work dogs, very smart and trainable. Our Lulu is seven months old and has been staked in the yard or in a kennel most of her life. Her owner loved her, but knew that she was not able to properly take care of her. Lulu is not as big as a Burnese Mountain dog, but she is VERY strong and she is smart! The first day we got her, she ran frantically around the house all day long. She jumped on us and mouthed our hands. She couldn’t calm down enough to hear us and she wasn’t sure who her master was supposed to be. We tried to get her to go into the kennel, which we had been told she would do on command. She did not obey on the first day. We had to push and shove her into that kennel. However, it wasn’t long before she began to calm down. The second day we had her she went into the kennel on demand and began to follow simple commands such as “ sit” and “stay.” She became more enjoyable to have around the house. We let her bond with our fourteen year old son and oh how she loves him. She follows him around and goes from door to window trying to see him when he leaves. He is her best friend!

It quickly became evident that Lulu hates to be confined or controlled. She is used to the kennel and fairly submitted to it, but she has a difficult time when we put her in the back yard. The first weekend came and we needed her out of the way, because we were having a church family over for Sunday dinner. Oh my! The whining, barking and banging on the back door never stopped. Later on, I learned that if I left the back door ajar so that she could freely come and go into the back yard, she was fine. Another example of how she hates to be controlled is the leash. The previous owner told us that Lulu was wonderful on hikes and had gone many places with them. She doesn’t run away, but she hates the leash. We determined that we would train her to walk with the leash. Ladies, she is awful! She is so strong that it is almost impossible to hold onto her when she is on the leash. We took her to the mountains with us recently, and she loved it. She ran freely and played in the streams. She didn’t run away from us and just roamed around having a wonderful time. When we got to our final destination, we needed her on the leash. She was ridiculous. She even pulled my husband off his feet and he almost hit his head on a very large rock. At one point, my son walked passed a couple who were hiking with a German Shepherd. Lulu went berserk. My son barely held onto her as the couple calmly walked past with their dog right at their side. That big old German Shepherd barely even looked at our silly Lulu. We were ashamed of our ill-behaved dog. We will definitely be working on getting her trained to the leash and getting her to quietly stay in the backyard when necessary!

Another object lesson to me is how Lulu’s attention comes and goes. When we are alone with Lulu, she is so sweet. She is loving and affectionate. She is obedient. She makes us laugh when she is communicating her wants and desires to us. When we are out of the home, it is an entirely other matter! It is as if she cannot see us or hear us. She pulls and chokes herself as we try to lead her around. She barks at people and dogs and strains to get near them. She is heedless to our commands and wishes. It is very sad and disappointing. She is an embarrassment to us and feels dangerous to others. What a joy and pride she would be if she would keep her attention on us and obey us in public.

I say all of this to say…how convicting Lulu is to me. I wonder how much potential God sees in me. He sees all of my good points. He sees things in me that others don’t see. He wants me to walk with Him and abide in Him. God knows exactly what He wants me to do and is disappointed when He cannot keep my attention. He is disappointed when I will not obey Him, and trust His will in my life. Too often, I read my Bible, pray, and desire to serve God with all my heart, but then I enter into life. Off I go doing my own thing and not paying any attention to God whatsoever. God wants me to walk in the Spirit, keeping Him in my mind and heart all day long, listening for His guidance and instruction.

1. God desires our fellowship.

It is hard to comprehend, but God enjoys being with us. I was struck by this verse not too long ago.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:3

God longs for ME to be with HIM! How amazing is that!?!?! He desires for ME to spend eternity with HIM!

He wants me to walk beside him, obedient to Him and His every command.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11

2. God desires our devotion.

God loves our praise and our worship. In fact, my husband often points out that the Greek word for worship means “to kiss like a dog licks his Master’s hand.” How often do we thank God and praise Him for His mercy and His goodness in our lives? Our salvation alone is worthy of eternal thanks and praise.

3. God desires our full obedience.

It’s been about six years ago, I think, that I heard a lady talking about a book on Christian radio, and how she reads it once a year. I read it and it had a profound effect on my life. I would like to think that I live this way, and I do try, but I know that I fail all the time. The name of the book is A Discourse on Meekness and Quietness of Spirit by Matthew Henry.

In the book, meekness is defined as…

”the silent submission of the soul to the word of God; the understanding bowed to every divine truth, and the will to every divine precept; and both without murmuring or arguing. The word is then an ’engrafted word,’ when it is received with meekness, that is, with a sincere willingness to be taught, and desire to learn.”

Another excerpt from Matthew Henry’s book says this:

“Meekness accommodates the soul to every occurrence, and so makes a man easy to himself and to all about him. The Latins call a meek man mansuetus, which refers to the taming and reclaiming of creatures wild by nature, and bringing them to be tractable and familiar.”

God desires our full obedience for many reasons, I’m sure, but one is that we will be a blessing and not a danger to those around us. In other words, we can properly minister to others when we have a spirit of meekness.

The Bible is clear that God highly values a meek and quiet spirit. Meekness is even one of the fruits of the Spirit.

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. I Peter 3:4

Like Lulu, I too hate to be controlled. I don’t want the “leash” or to be put away for a time. I want to come and go as I please. I have to submit to God and realize that He is working all things for my good.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:29

The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. Psalms 25:9

Long ago, when we first started the church, the Lord laid this verse on my heart, and it has laid heavy on my heart ever since:

For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. Isaiah 30:15

The Bible also says the joy of the Lord is our strength, and a merry heart doeth good like a medicine. I do not believe that we must be stoic and unapproachable, but rather a Helper of Joy if you will! I desire to serve God with quietness, confidence, and joy. I long to be a blessing to the people around me, and a source of encouragement and edification. How often do we hurt those around us because we lose our focus on God and push and pull to get our way? Are we willing to be put aside sometimes so that God can do what He needs to do in the lives of others? Do other Christians become tense and nervous around us because we are too noisy and pushy? Must we be the center of attention at all times? I pray often that God will help me in this area and that I will be a blessing to others in this life.

I love Lulu, and I am so looking forward to the wonderful dog that I know that she can be! I am also looking forward to what God has for me as I work to walk in the Spirit. I pray the same for all of you wonderful ladies who serve and minister for the Lord.