The morning was slightly overcast and cool so I decided that it was a good day to walk the dog. I wanted to have a quiet walk and listen to God but the dog was not in a listening mood. We ran to the park to burn some of his energy. It sort of worked. The walk in the park was quiet. It always is when most everyone else is in bed. I decided to take a longer way home to give the dog some extra time out of the yard and me a chance to see the dried out lake and the birds. The walk proceeded with the dog wandering by the lake and me on the path. It was time to go and the dog did not listen to my calls. I walked closer to the lake calling for him. Still no answer. Where was he?
Finally he sauntered out of the tall grass and weeds with his head down and tongue hanging out of his mouth. He was not acting normal with one eye half closed and foam dripping off his tongue. On top of his odd behaviour he smelled even worse. The smell of skunk! My old dog tried to roll in the grass to wash his face but it only aggravated the problem. The pace of our walk going home was considerably slower than when we left. As we arrived home the neighbor across the street made a loud comment "Oh yuck, skunk!" I am glad she did not know the source was a hundred feet away.
Once home I decided it was time for the dog to get a tomato juice bath, so off I went to Walmart to buy 3 large cans. The dog was not pleased to have tomato juice dumped on him and then scrubbed into his fur. By the time we were done with that part of the treatment I think he hit his head and mumbled "I could have had a V8." The juice neutralized the smell but did not remove it. Step two was to take the blood red dog and empty a box of baking soda on him while scrubbing it in. The stinking dog has now learned to like tomato juice and baking soda more than skunks. However, the process was not complete because now he needed to be cleaned with soap and water. The final step of purification included soap on his face and I am sure in his eyes. A final rinse and scrub several hours after the process started and the stinking dog was close to normal.
My goal this morning was a time to listen to God. My stinking dog assisted in the process. God reminded me through a wayward dog what I am like. As people we are wanderers at heart and the results are not pleasant. We need a cleansing from the red blood and white purity of a Savior who stepped out of heaven. He could have left us in the stench of sin and walked away but He did not. Like the stinking dog, my sin carries a stench that fills the sky and our world. God sent His Son, to step into our world and dirty Himself with our sin so we could be made clean and acceptable to Him. The result is that we live as a testimony of His work in us. So much for a quiet morning but what a lesson. I just needed to listen.
Finally he sauntered out of the tall grass and weeds with his head down and tongue hanging out of his mouth. He was not acting normal with one eye half closed and foam dripping off his tongue. On top of his odd behaviour he smelled even worse. The smell of skunk! My old dog tried to roll in the grass to wash his face but it only aggravated the problem. The pace of our walk going home was considerably slower than when we left. As we arrived home the neighbor across the street made a loud comment "Oh yuck, skunk!" I am glad she did not know the source was a hundred feet away.
Once home I decided it was time for the dog to get a tomato juice bath, so off I went to Walmart to buy 3 large cans. The dog was not pleased to have tomato juice dumped on him and then scrubbed into his fur. By the time we were done with that part of the treatment I think he hit his head and mumbled "I could have had a V8." The juice neutralized the smell but did not remove it. Step two was to take the blood red dog and empty a box of baking soda on him while scrubbing it in. The stinking dog has now learned to like tomato juice and baking soda more than skunks. However, the process was not complete because now he needed to be cleaned with soap and water. The final step of purification included soap on his face and I am sure in his eyes. A final rinse and scrub several hours after the process started and the stinking dog was close to normal.
My goal this morning was a time to listen to God. My stinking dog assisted in the process. God reminded me through a wayward dog what I am like. As people we are wanderers at heart and the results are not pleasant. We need a cleansing from the red blood and white purity of a Savior who stepped out of heaven. He could have left us in the stench of sin and walked away but He did not. Like the stinking dog, my sin carries a stench that fills the sky and our world. God sent His Son, to step into our world and dirty Himself with our sin so we could be made clean and acceptable to Him. The result is that we live as a testimony of His work in us. So much for a quiet morning but what a lesson. I just needed to listen.
RSS Feed