June 17, 2020
I love the invention of the rice grain sized “chip” that you can have put in your dog in case he gets lost. Since dogs can’t talk, it must make them feel better to have this little piece of information in there in case they wander away from where they belong. But wait, can’t a collar with a tag accomplish the same thing? And actually, isn’t that a more visible, easier to access piece of information for those of us who are constantly rescuing other people’s lost dogs? I guess the difference is that a collar can come off and a chip is under their skin permanently. I am, of course, joking about the chip making the dog feel safer. It is the owner who can sleep better at night, knowing that if Fluffy digs out from the fence again, she will somehow find her way back home. Some people are even more proactive than that when it comes to protecting their dog. My sister lives “in the country”, but near two rural highways. She has an “invisible fence” to keep her dog from even thinking about digging out. If he goes near the boundary, he gets a little jolt. He also has a fenced-in kennel inside the yard with a dog house but spends most of his time inside her house. (I think she should have named him “Prince” instead of Rocky.) The point here is, we protect what is important to us. We take care of our loved ones, we lock our cars, we don’t set our rings near the edge of the sink. Some of our protective measures are automatic and some take more thought and effort. But are we taking care of ourselves? Are we sleeping enough, eating right, getting exercise, doing all the medical check-up stuff we know we should do? What about protecting our mental and emotional health? Do we find the time to do things that make us happy? If we feel bad, we should go to the doctor. If we are sad, anxious or irritated, we should go to God. He rescues us when we are lost. He is our shelter from the storms of life. He protects us because we are important to him. Psalm 46:1-2 (NIV) says: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. In Luke 15:4-7, (The Message) Jesus uses this illustration: “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.” You are important to God! Smile and be joyful!
I love the invention of the rice grain sized “chip” that you can have put in your dog in case he gets lost. Since dogs can’t talk, it must make them feel better to have this little piece of information in there in case they wander away from where they belong. But wait, can’t a collar with a tag accomplish the same thing? And actually, isn’t that a more visible, easier to access piece of information for those of us who are constantly rescuing other people’s lost dogs? I guess the difference is that a collar can come off and a chip is under their skin permanently. I am, of course, joking about the chip making the dog feel safer. It is the owner who can sleep better at night, knowing that if Fluffy digs out from the fence again, she will somehow find her way back home. Some people are even more proactive than that when it comes to protecting their dog. My sister lives “in the country”, but near two rural highways. She has an “invisible fence” to keep her dog from even thinking about digging out. If he goes near the boundary, he gets a little jolt. He also has a fenced-in kennel inside the yard with a dog house but spends most of his time inside her house. (I think she should have named him “Prince” instead of Rocky.) The point here is, we protect what is important to us. We take care of our loved ones, we lock our cars, we don’t set our rings near the edge of the sink. Some of our protective measures are automatic and some take more thought and effort. But are we taking care of ourselves? Are we sleeping enough, eating right, getting exercise, doing all the medical check-up stuff we know we should do? What about protecting our mental and emotional health? Do we find the time to do things that make us happy? If we feel bad, we should go to the doctor. If we are sad, anxious or irritated, we should go to God. He rescues us when we are lost. He is our shelter from the storms of life. He protects us because we are important to him. Psalm 46:1-2 (NIV) says: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. In Luke 15:4-7, (The Message) Jesus uses this illustration: “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.” You are important to God! Smile and be joyful!
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