Time for Paws
The other day, my coworker's wife brought their two dogs into work. The older dog they call Grandpa, even though he's a mere 3 years old. Grandpa is a brown mutt, but incredibly well-trained. The other dog is a 5-month old Golden Retriever named Pickle.
Pickle and Grandpa live in the same house, have the same masters, and eat the same food. But one very big thing sets them apart.
Pickle is a Paws with a Cause dog.
Paws with a Cause
If you're not familiar with Paws with a Cause, they're an awesome organization. Their mission is to "[enhance] the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities nationally through custom-trained Assistance Dogs." They provide service dogs for people with physical disabilities, hearing impairment, seizure disorders, and some children with autism.
Lots of people want a Paws dog for help, and the organization partners with lots of volunteers to raise them. They are called Foster Puppy Raisers, and they give puppies public exposure and teach them basic obedience. When a foster puppy becomes 12-14 months, they graduate to a more formal Assistance Dog Training within the organization.
If you've ever seen a Paws dog and ask the trainer if you can pet it, they'll usually say no. That's because one of the traits of a good Paws dog is that it focuses solely on its owner's needs. It can never get distracted. A Paws dog must be taught to ignore distractions, otherwise it could put its owner in danger.
That's why you can't pet a training dog.
sad puppy eyes
So, back to Grandpa and Pickle. After they arrived, Grandpa came right up to me. Naturally, I started petting him. I glanced up at Pickle (the Paws dog), who was waiting by the door with his owner.
Pickle was staring at me longingly.
Once, he bounced up from his 'heel' position. My coworker's wife had him on a leash, and pulled him back down and said, "stay!" Pickle sat down, but continued to stare longingly as I pet Grandpa's beautiful coat.
I can't read doggy minds, but in that moment, I could tell Pickle wanted very badly to run up to us and get pet. Which made me think...
It sucks to be a Paws Service dog in training.
Every time you want to run up to a stranger, you get pulled back. Every time you want to go left, your master jerks you right. You get taught to resist almost every doggy instinct that's built into you.
Sure, in the end it's for a really good cause. But while you're being trained, it just plain sucks.
lament
Do you ever feel like God is yanking you around in life? Are you ever unsure why He's keeping you from something you desire? Is it ever confusing when He doesn't seem to respond in the way you expect?
People in the Bible sure felt like this.
The book of Psalms is full of poetry. Each chapter is a different song that was sung by the Jews. There's lots of different kinds of songs. One of the most striking kind of songs are the lament psalms. In these psalms, God's people are confused, frightened, or angry. They call out to God for help.
Check out the last few verses of Psalm 44:
Not very touchy feely lyrics, are they? You won't find that kind of language in most praise songs today.
Yet, even over 2,000 years later, we know how that feels. You may try to save up money, but the car keeps breaking and draining the bank account. Your health may break, keeping you from living the life you want to live. You may get passed over for a raise at work, or coworkers get promoted instead of you. You may have a long list of things to do, but you can't seem to find the time or energy or will to tackle it. You may have made a bad judgment call years ago, but you still have to deal with the consequences today. A loved one may die too young, and you'd give anything just to have another day with them.
Sometimes it feels like God is keeping us from good things, and we don't understand why. And like the psalmist, we call out to Him to "wake up and help us!"
set apart
We are a lot like Pickle sometimes. Longing to have his little puppy ears pet. Not understanding why he's constantly being held back.
But in Pickle's case, we know why. Pickle was chosen. He is set apart for a specific purpose. And if he got everything he wanted, he could not fulfill his purpose. He'd just be an ordinary dog leading a normal dog life.
As Christians, we are also chosen. We are set apart. That's literally what the word "saint" means (a word the New Testament uses a lot to refer to Christians).
God has set us apart for His purpose. That's why He brings us through trials in life that change us. He's constantly molding us, making us into his people for His purpose. And if we're being honest, it's not always comfortable.
we're not the only ones
But why should we expect it to be comfortable? If we look at the Bible, we see many examples of people that God chose to do amazing things. And their lives are far from comfortable.
Joseph (Gen. 39-50) was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and later framed for a sexual advance that never happened. But without these experiences, he couldn't have impressed Pharaoh, become the 3rd highest official in Egypt and saved an entire region from starvation.
A few hundred years later, Moses (Exodus 1 and onward) killed a man when he was 40 and fled to the wilderness to stay alive. He tended sheep for another 40 years out there before he was ready for God's purpose. God waited for Moses to become an effective shepherd so that he could lead millions of Jews out of captivity through the wilderness.
A few hundred more years later, David (1 Samuel 16 and onward) had been chosen by God to be king of Israel. But God had him run for many years from the standing king, who became so paranoid at David's popularity that he wanted to kill him. David learned to obey God and take everything from God's hand, making him the only King known as "a man after God's own heart."
The Bible shows us that when God chooses someone for His purpose, He takes time to prepare them. It's not comfortable. It's not convenient. But without it, we could never fulfill our purpose.
closer to home
My wife gave me permission to share a piece of her story. If you know her, you know she's full of life and laughter and ambition. She is always up for a random adventure. But for +10 years, she has struggled with Chronic Fatigue.
And when I say "struggled", I mean it. Between dizziness, extreme fatigue, migraines, and a host of other symptoms, her adventurous spirit has been beaten up. There are some periods of her life she was so sick she doesn't even have memories of it. Three different times, she's worked a job until she literally couldn't stand up.
But it's not just the physical battle. She also fights an emotional battle. She used to have dreams about traveling the world as a paramedic, helping people everywhere, seeing and smelling and tasting every bit of the world she could take in. She's since had to painfully put many of her dreams to death. She constantly fights the feeling that her 20's--the decade that most people are living most vibrantly--were stolen from her, and that she may never be able to experience life like that.
Like many of us, she could not understand why God brought this seemingly pointless situation into her life.
But she's come to accept her health condition. And God has continued to mold her and make her for His purposes. She now knows what it's like to be stricken with a chronic illness. She understands the mental and emotional turmoil that comes with being sick with possibly no cure. She has a large number of friends with their own chronic illnesses, and she can minister to them now in ways she never could have imagined.
I've heard her say that before she got sick, she would have looked at a person with Chronic Fatigue and question why they don't just get up and power through. They look fine on the outside, so it must all be in their head. Now, she has so much more understanding, empathy, and compassion for others.
My wife is growing in grace, and continues to become more and more beautiful everyday.
God is molding her for His purposes.
the good trainer
If a Paws trainer couldn't resist petting such a cute puppy whenever he he wanted to, he would be a horrible trainer. Paws for a Cause would blacklist him and he would no longer be allowed to train puppies.
Likewise, if God gave into our sad puppy dog eyes every time we asked Him to give us what we wanted, He'd be a horrible God. But he's not. He's good. And He's promised to complete his good work in us (Phil. 1:6).
It's not always easy to understand why God does or doesn't do things. But He has a purpose, and He's got you. He'll see you through the pain, confusion, and loss. And He will transform you from a comfortable caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. And you'll soar far above any life you ever could have dreamed of.
And in the end, you'll know that it was all worth it.
Pickle and Grandpa live in the same house, have the same masters, and eat the same food. But one very big thing sets them apart.
Pickle is a Paws with a Cause dog.
Paws with a Cause
If you're not familiar with Paws with a Cause, they're an awesome organization. Their mission is to "[enhance] the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities nationally through custom-trained Assistance Dogs." They provide service dogs for people with physical disabilities, hearing impairment, seizure disorders, and some children with autism.
Lots of people want a Paws dog for help, and the organization partners with lots of volunteers to raise them. They are called Foster Puppy Raisers, and they give puppies public exposure and teach them basic obedience. When a foster puppy becomes 12-14 months, they graduate to a more formal Assistance Dog Training within the organization.
If you've ever seen a Paws dog and ask the trainer if you can pet it, they'll usually say no. That's because one of the traits of a good Paws dog is that it focuses solely on its owner's needs. It can never get distracted. A Paws dog must be taught to ignore distractions, otherwise it could put its owner in danger.
That's why you can't pet a training dog.
sad puppy eyes
So, back to Grandpa and Pickle. After they arrived, Grandpa came right up to me. Naturally, I started petting him. I glanced up at Pickle (the Paws dog), who was waiting by the door with his owner.
Pickle was staring at me longingly.
Once, he bounced up from his 'heel' position. My coworker's wife had him on a leash, and pulled him back down and said, "stay!" Pickle sat down, but continued to stare longingly as I pet Grandpa's beautiful coat.
I can't read doggy minds, but in that moment, I could tell Pickle wanted very badly to run up to us and get pet. Which made me think...
It sucks to be a Paws Service dog in training.
Every time you want to run up to a stranger, you get pulled back. Every time you want to go left, your master jerks you right. You get taught to resist almost every doggy instinct that's built into you.
Sure, in the end it's for a really good cause. But while you're being trained, it just plain sucks.
lament
Do you ever feel like God is yanking you around in life? Are you ever unsure why He's keeping you from something you desire? Is it ever confusing when He doesn't seem to respond in the way you expect?
People in the Bible sure felt like this.
The book of Psalms is full of poetry. Each chapter is a different song that was sung by the Jews. There's lots of different kinds of songs. One of the most striking kind of songs are the lament psalms. In these psalms, God's people are confused, frightened, or angry. They call out to God for help.
Check out the last few verses of Psalm 44:
23 Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.
24 Why do you hide your face
and forget our misery and oppression?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.
24 Why do you hide your face
and forget our misery and oppression?
25 We are brought down to the dust;
our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Rise up and help us;
rescue us because of your unfailing love.
our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Rise up and help us;
rescue us because of your unfailing love.
Not very touchy feely lyrics, are they? You won't find that kind of language in most praise songs today.Yet, even over 2,000 years later, we know how that feels. You may try to save up money, but the car keeps breaking and draining the bank account. Your health may break, keeping you from living the life you want to live. You may get passed over for a raise at work, or coworkers get promoted instead of you. You may have a long list of things to do, but you can't seem to find the time or energy or will to tackle it. You may have made a bad judgment call years ago, but you still have to deal with the consequences today. A loved one may die too young, and you'd give anything just to have another day with them.
Sometimes it feels like God is keeping us from good things, and we don't understand why. And like the psalmist, we call out to Him to "wake up and help us!"
set apart
We are a lot like Pickle sometimes. Longing to have his little puppy ears pet. Not understanding why he's constantly being held back.
But in Pickle's case, we know why. Pickle was chosen. He is set apart for a specific purpose. And if he got everything he wanted, he could not fulfill his purpose. He'd just be an ordinary dog leading a normal dog life.
As Christians, we are also chosen. We are set apart. That's literally what the word "saint" means (a word the New Testament uses a lot to refer to Christians).
God has set us apart for His purpose. That's why He brings us through trials in life that change us. He's constantly molding us, making us into his people for His purpose. And if we're being honest, it's not always comfortable.
we're not the only ones
But why should we expect it to be comfortable? If we look at the Bible, we see many examples of people that God chose to do amazing things. And their lives are far from comfortable.
Joseph (Gen. 39-50) was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and later framed for a sexual advance that never happened. But without these experiences, he couldn't have impressed Pharaoh, become the 3rd highest official in Egypt and saved an entire region from starvation.
A few hundred years later, Moses (Exodus 1 and onward) killed a man when he was 40 and fled to the wilderness to stay alive. He tended sheep for another 40 years out there before he was ready for God's purpose. God waited for Moses to become an effective shepherd so that he could lead millions of Jews out of captivity through the wilderness.
A few hundred more years later, David (1 Samuel 16 and onward) had been chosen by God to be king of Israel. But God had him run for many years from the standing king, who became so paranoid at David's popularity that he wanted to kill him. David learned to obey God and take everything from God's hand, making him the only King known as "a man after God's own heart."
The Bible shows us that when God chooses someone for His purpose, He takes time to prepare them. It's not comfortable. It's not convenient. But without it, we could never fulfill our purpose.
closer to home
My wife gave me permission to share a piece of her story. If you know her, you know she's full of life and laughter and ambition. She is always up for a random adventure. But for +10 years, she has struggled with Chronic Fatigue.
And when I say "struggled", I mean it. Between dizziness, extreme fatigue, migraines, and a host of other symptoms, her adventurous spirit has been beaten up. There are some periods of her life she was so sick she doesn't even have memories of it. Three different times, she's worked a job until she literally couldn't stand up.
But it's not just the physical battle. She also fights an emotional battle. She used to have dreams about traveling the world as a paramedic, helping people everywhere, seeing and smelling and tasting every bit of the world she could take in. She's since had to painfully put many of her dreams to death. She constantly fights the feeling that her 20's--the decade that most people are living most vibrantly--were stolen from her, and that she may never be able to experience life like that.
Like many of us, she could not understand why God brought this seemingly pointless situation into her life.
But she's come to accept her health condition. And God has continued to mold her and make her for His purposes. She now knows what it's like to be stricken with a chronic illness. She understands the mental and emotional turmoil that comes with being sick with possibly no cure. She has a large number of friends with their own chronic illnesses, and she can minister to them now in ways she never could have imagined.
I've heard her say that before she got sick, she would have looked at a person with Chronic Fatigue and question why they don't just get up and power through. They look fine on the outside, so it must all be in their head. Now, she has so much more understanding, empathy, and compassion for others.
My wife is growing in grace, and continues to become more and more beautiful everyday.
God is molding her for His purposes.
the good trainer
If a Paws trainer couldn't resist petting such a cute puppy whenever he he wanted to, he would be a horrible trainer. Paws for a Cause would blacklist him and he would no longer be allowed to train puppies.
Likewise, if God gave into our sad puppy dog eyes every time we asked Him to give us what we wanted, He'd be a horrible God. But he's not. He's good. And He's promised to complete his good work in us (Phil. 1:6).
It's not always easy to understand why God does or doesn't do things. But He has a purpose, and He's got you. He'll see you through the pain, confusion, and loss. And He will transform you from a comfortable caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. And you'll soar far above any life you ever could have dreamed of.
And in the end, you'll know that it was all worth it.
Thank you, David. Hard lessons to learn... Our God is Faithful.
ReplyDelete