#waitinglikedogs

Ever observe something mundane, something you have seen a million times without paying it any mind, then one day you see it in a new way? Well, that happened to me around an hour ago, you see I am blessed to live in a house full of dogs, among other animals. These dogs are always running around or lounging nearby, nothing spectacularly interesting most days. Like nearly all dogs, these dogs get excited when food is nearby. Now, these dogs are relatively behaved animals. When dinnertime comes, they will not lunge at you for the food, but some will wait while you prepare it.

            That is what I saw today as I got out of the shower. Food was being prepared for the dogs. Now, I noticed a few things. First, I noticed one dog was not even in the room, another hovered close to where the food was being prepared but paid little mind, instead distracting herself with her toys strewn about the floor, and the last dog, well she behaved differently than the others.

            This third dog waited patiently, sitting mere feet from where the food was being prepared. She did not rush for the food early, nor did she take her eyes from the one making her food. She refused to settle for lesser things.

            I was struck by this, because I felt like this created a great model for how people can sometimes wait before the Lord. For some of us, and I confess I have been in this category far too frequently: we can ignore what God is doing altogether. We can be like that first dog, off in our other rooms, acting independently, not caring what God's design is for whatever given situation. We have free will; we can do this, but we can oftentimes miss out on what God is preparing for us. In some more extreme cases, we can deviate tragically from his plan and end up alone and starved.    

            I also believe there are some among us who may be like that second dog. We can acknowledge that there is a God. Perhaps most days we even consider him Lord, or ultimate decision-maker in our lives. But, like this second dog we can start settling early for other things. Now, the second dog was still in the room, but she was distracted. This dog was waiting passively for food, more or less unconcerned. While this may not be as bad as dog number one, I believe this one too is missing out in some way.

            Now, dog three she waited faithfully. She was sitting, but she was sitting poised, ready the second that dish dropped to the floor. I waited beside the dog for a full minute and never saw her blink. This dog was not sitting idly by waiting for food, she was vigilant—she was eager in waiting. This dog was seeking after that food, unwilling to settle for trifling toys or whatever lesser things waited in the other more distant rooms.

            I found a verse in Psalms 130: 5-6, it reads:

  "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,     and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord     more than watchmen for the morning,     more than watchmen for the morning."

              I think this dog demonstrated this type of posturing, like a watchmen. She was not lax, not complacent, not distracted. She waited with intention. Now, I left before I saw it, but I will bet she was the first to eat.

            Moreover, her food sustains her, it gives her what she needs to face the day and do what dogs should do, play and run.

            I wish I could be more like this dog, because I think she gets it. She knows her master. She knows the master loves her and has good things for her. So, she stays beside her master and is eager to receive what the master has for her.

I found other verses that reminded me of this:

Isaiah 40:30-31

 "Even youths shall faint and be weary,     and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;     they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;     they shall walk and not faint."

Lamentations 3:25

"The Lord is good to those who wait for him,     to the soul who seeks him."

 Like that dog, when we wait faithfully we are strengthened and renewed. We are fed, because the one feeding us is good.

            Food for thought.

  Until next time:

Christians: How are you waiting? Are there pressing circumstances in your life? Decisions that need to be made? Are you looking to God for these things? Are you relying on him and pressing in actively? Are you seeking the Godly counsel he has placed in your life?