Lent Devotional: We are all in Training.

Chunk loves to recycle.

It might seem crazy to you if you're not a pet person, but this guy is like my child.  I adopted him after losing my last dog quite suddenly.  Facing a quiet house with no dog was not something I tolerated for very long.  For the last six months he has been a great source of laughter and frustration (sometimes at the same time).  

As the weather warms up and the days get longer he wants to be outside.  Last night he barked for twenty minutes until I finally wrangled him inside.  It scared me for a minute until I realized that he was watching a possum at my neighbors.   He is certainly a curious fellow.  In fact, one of the troubling things about his curiosity and love of people is his speed.  My parsonage is located on a fairly busy road.  It isn't cars I'm most concerned about, it's the runners.  Chunk likes to greet them.  

Before I moved here I purchased a training collar for my last dog.  Basically when you push a button the collar beeps. After a little bit of training the dog realizes that the beep means "come."  At that time when I put the collar on my dog, the beep alone sent him into the garage to hide.  Chunk however is stubborn.  I've been working with him on this for a few weeks and realized that even on the highest number, the collar was not phasing him.  He would just look at me and go back to doing what he wasn't supposed to do.  

After a particularly frustrating encounter with a runner and a biker I ordered Chunk a new, bigger and more powerful collar.  (I know I sound like the meanest mom in the world.)  After only one day with this new collar Chunk has learned pretty simply that running in the road isn't such a good idea. (It only took two zaps)

While it may seem like a bad analogy, I sometimes wonder if God wouldn't be really relieved if we came equipped with our own "training collars." The thing about this collar is that you don't turn it up really high and scare your dog.  You move it up once step at a time until the dog recognizes that it's an annoying feeling.  The annoyance stops when the dog does what he is supposed to.  It did not seem to cause any pain at all - and the treats upon his return were certainly enjoyed.  

I spend a lot of time talking with people about God's will or plan for their lives.  It is often such a source of frustration when we crumble to temptation or make repeated bad choices.  Sometimes even our best intentions can cause us to wind up in a dangerous place, or a place where we simply shouldn't be.  

While questions and circumstances like these don't have easy answers, they do help us to learn to trust the Holy Spirit's movement in our lives.  When we are really in touch with the Spirit we come to recognize when we are out of sync with God.  Maybe it is a little bit like what Chunk has gone through.  When things feel off, or really challenging, that is the time to re-evaluate.  To head back to what we know and move forward taking a revised path.  In order to recognize when things get uncomfortable we have to do our best to stay connected - through things like prayer, study, Scripture reading, and worship.  This is our training ground, where God can mold and shape us as we respond to the Spirit.  

In closing I leave you with these words from Proverbs 2:

1-5 Good friend, take to heart what I’m telling you;

    collect my counsels and guard them with your life.

Tune your ears to the world of Wisdom;

    set your heart on a life of Understanding.

That’s right—if you make Insight your priority,

    and won’t take no for an answer,

Searching for it like a prospector panning for gold,

    like an adventurer on a treasure hunt,

Believe me, before you know it Fear-of-God will be yours;

    you’ll have come upon the Knowledge of God.

6-8 

And here’s why: God gives out Wisdom free,

    is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding.

He’s a rich mine of Common Sense for those who live well,

    a personal bodyguard to the candid and sincere.

He keeps his eye on all who live honestly,

    and pays special attention to his loyally committed ones.

9-15 

So now you can pick out what’s true and fair,

    find all the good trails!

Lady Wisdom will be your close friend,

    and Brother Knowledge your pleasant companion.

Good Sense will scout ahead for danger,

    Insight will keep an eye out for you.

They’ll keep you from making wrong turns,

    or following the bad directions