On the Leash

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We have a sweet little dog - her name is Pebbles. She's really not my dog, she belongs to our daughter.  However, of late, she's pretty attached to me and me to her.  She may just be a sweet little chihuahua - and YES, some chihuahua's can be sweet... but she teaches me a lot.

I remember reading a book one time about worship.  The author compared the dog's attention and focus on it's master to what it is to worship. It was a pretty good analogy.  I think of it often when my dog is all over me wanting attention.


But there is something more about God, spiritual things, and life that Pebbles teaches me.  Today as I was walking her in the yard I was thinking about the leash.  Sometimes I'd like to just let her off the leash and let her run free.  But I can't.  It is really too dangerous for her to run free.  We have neighbor dogs and she was attacked by one before - we don't have a lot of traffic but as small as she is... and then I worry if she'd go chasing something in the woods and get hurt.  Besides, she has never run free in the yard.  

I wondered if she liked the leash.  I wondered if it made her feel secure.  She's pretty obedient so if I yank on the leash and say come on, let's go in - she understands and obeys. Once, she didn't and insisted on going to one of the open areas near the house - she was right... she had "business to attend to" and I was rushing her.  Otherwise, she always listens.

It made me think about how God sort of has us on a leash. I think we think we are wise enough to run free but in reality, we aren't.  We have to trust that God knows our limits, knows what is safe for us, and trust the leash.  I don't know about you but that's awfully hard for me sometimes.

Right now, she has nuzzled her way between under my arm.  She is nuzzled there while I type - she just wants to be close to me... she knows I love her, care for her, and would never hurt her.  Because of that, she welcomes the leash... 

Jesus told us in Matthew 11 
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."  
I think that Pebbles rests easy with the leash, she knows she's safe.  I think it is the same with Jesus - submitting to His leash keeps us safe.

Do you feel safe when you wear Jesus' leash?  I do...

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