Read Matthew 21:18-32 The Short Leash

I got all ready to walk my new puppy, a 14 week old Collie/Aussie Cattle cross named Ruby.  She has not adapted well to the leash and when we walk her she’s all over the place; but she’s getting better.  She follows reluctantly out of the gate and up to the road.  It usually isn’t very long before she empties her bladder and then she’s pulling to go back.

But I want to keep walking, of course.  So I pull her along and she fights me on it.  She has lots of tricks since she’s a herder by nature.  She circles me and walks the opposite way so the leash binds my legs. She comes from behind and gets between my feet then hooks her leg around my ankle and almost trips me.  She sits and will not budge.  She grabs the leash in her mouth and tries to pull it her direction. I’m sure if I let go she’d run right back to our gate.  I finally had to wrap the leash around my hand and keep her right beside me, pulling her front paws off the ground if she goes anywhere but straight ahead.  She has no choice now, she has to walk the way I’m going.

After half an hour of this I have long since realized God is trying to show me something about myself.  “What is it, Lord? I don’t want to fight You, I want to submit”.  I recalled the Parable of the Two Sons, and I realized that I have been acting like the son who quickly says “Yes” but then doesn’t follow through.  “What can I do, Lord?” I asked.  One thing He revealed is that I can’t dwell on the past.  There are good things to look back on, but I am usually overwhelmed with the bitter memories of hurts, regrets, guilt and shame.  The Lord has brought healing to these and that is so good, but now it’s time to look ahead and walk into my future without constantly turning and looking back at where I’ve been.

I also realize there are areas where I’ve been disobedient.  God told me to do something, to take a new direction with my life and I’ve been resisting. It’s like He’s had to drag me kicking and screaming all the way.  Oh, I was ready and excited right out of the gate; but then I do my business and I want to retreat back to my quiet place of safety.  I know what the Lord said and He made it really clear; I readily agreed (at first).  But then I see obstacles and I give up easily.  I have been as stubborn as Ruby.  I just can’t make myself walk on this path He’s chosen for me.

The next day I took Ruby for her walk again.  I took a different route this time. It’s unfamiliar to her but we will end up at the same destination as the road.  She tried every one of her tricks again and I saw myself a lot more clearly this time.  I make excuses.  A lot of them.  I fill myself and my time with pleasant distractions.  I give the Lord about 15 minutes or so of obedience in this area and then find a ‘good reason’ to stop.  “I have too much else to do” (excuse); “My husband is awake now” (excuse); “I just can’t get into it right now” (excuse).  As all of these came to mind and God called them “excuses”, I prayed, “Lord put me on a short leash if You need to.  Pull me, prod me, do what you must.”  I stood still for a minute, looked down at Ruby and told her, “We’re not turning back”.  She got up and walked.  Properly!  Now I realized the Lord was going to use Ruby to give me examples of what I should be doing.

• Seeking, curious, excited.  Look around, this is an adventure! Dogs sniff everything.  Don’t pull ahead, don’t lag behind, don’t look back.
• Stay on the path, stay by Jesus’ side. He knows the way.  I may need a few minutes to ‘do my business’ but then I need to get right back at it.  He’s patient and waiting for me.
• Look to Him when I get afraid. Ruby only looked back a couple of times, but when she heard a frightening noise, she looked at me.  I must look to the Lord, not hide when I’m intimidated.
• Keep moving. Don’t stop; even if it’s slow, keep going ahead.  Let God worry about finding the time and opportunity; that’s His job.

We came to the end of the path and the intersection of a wider trail through the forest.  It was at least 10 feet wider than the path we were on, almost as wide as a driveway.  Ruby hesitated; she was afraid again.  We stopped and I let her look all around.  I looked her in the eye, petted her head, reassured her.  Then she was ready to move onto the much broader path.  God was still speaking to me.  There are new dimensions of my path that are ahead and that are much broader and a course alteration.  Jesus will be with me, leading and reassuring me.  Giving me a pause, a rest time to adjust.  When we move on it will feel like starting again; broader, a whole new perspective, a new adventure to explore! No more short leash, just great times together.  I let Ruby’s leash go for a while, and she stayed near.  That’s what I call ‘success’.

Now that Ruby is older, walking is her favorite thing to do!  We go for hikes every morning, starting just before sunrise.  The best time of day to be in the forest, just me, Ruby and Jesus.