Jack the Zoomer

Our dog, Jack, loves to run. He’s not actually very fast but he doesn’t know that and I’ll never tell him. He zooms around the park or in the fields or woods, smiling, ears flying back in the wind. He’s not always chasing anything; he just loves running. There are times when he gets close to the road. I call out, “Wait, Jack, wait.” He stops, listening for what I will say next. “This way, Jack,” I call out. He turns to see which way I will go, or waits for me to hook him to his leash, and happily follows. I am so thankful that Jack learned to wait, to listen, and respond to that command. It’s for his own safety. When I call, “wait,” I can see muscles rippling with desire to run, breaths coming quickly, his head turned to glance back at me. If Jack didn’t wait when I called, he may run into the road. I don’t even like to think about such a consequence of not waiting.

It is the very same in our spiritual world. When we become a child of God, the Holy Spirit comes to live within us. He is ever teaching and guiding us in all the ways of God. We sometimes have desire to run in a direction of our own choosing that would not be for our good, but we have the Holy Spirit to call, “wait.” Galatians 5:16 reminds us to, “let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves” (NLT). Just as I could see the dangers of the road ahead for Jack, the Holy Spirit knows very well the road we are headed for, too. The wrong road is full of danger and is a joy zapper.

Notice the above verse doesn’t say that what we crave will be diminished; we are born with sinful desire. It does say the Holy Spirit will call out warning and redirect us onto paths that bring joy and peace. Let us enjoy our walks with God, the Holy Spirit directing our way, our words, our behavior. Then, like the greatest of happiness Jack shares with me, we will share the greatest of joy with our Heavenly Father, bringing glory to Jesus, and living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Obedience brings blessings; not some of the time, but all of the time.