Like a Whining Dog

This morning I awoke just before the dawn.  The birds had started singing and the rising sun had not yet begun to brighten the dark sky.  It's my favorite time of the day!  The house is still quiet and distractions are usually at a minimum...well almost...  

The moment there is movement in the house, our 16 month old Labrador, Fred, wants in on the action.  He ate his morning meal with gusto (an hour earlier than usual), finished his outside routine, and is now back inside full of energy and ready to greet everyone in the house, but they are still sleeping.  

With a hot cup of coffee and my Bible, I started my day with the Lord...but then there was Fred.  He wanted attention.  He was irritated that everyone else was still sleeping.  I snuggled and played with him and he finally laid down and began to settle in.

Then the whining began...

Do you see the look?

The look that says "I know I'm here with you, but I really want to be with the other people in the house, so I'll lay down here and stay with you, but while I do, I'm going to whine about it."

Here he was with me!  I fed him, took care of his morning routine, gave him lots of lovin...but he wasn't satisfied to settle in with me, he wanted the attention of everyone else in the house.

Then it hit me...how often am I like that whining dog in my relationship with the Lord?  

Abide in Me, and I in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; unless it abides in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in me.  JOHN 15:4

Abide!

Mission, Jesus style calls us to abide in Him.  Abide.  It's not a word we use frequently in our hurried, 24/7, on to the next thing, instant gratification society.  

Abide.  It's a primary verb meaning "to stay."  The concept of abiding is in a given place, state, relation, or expectancy, as we continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, and tarry.

In this moment the Lord has given me a constant reminder to abide in Him through my dog!  If you've ever trained a dog, sit and stay are important behaviors to learn.   Sit is usually not difficult to teach, but stay?  That requires a lot of conditioning!

Mission, Jesus style calls us to Abide!  Today I give thanks for a whining dog that brought deeper understanding and a good visual illustration that calls me back.  

...find a place to be present with the Lord

...be there with Expectancy 

...tarry

We're in the process of teaching Fred to stay (I write with a grin).  This morning the Lord is reminding me of the same.  Sit and stay... and stop that whining!  "Abide in Me."