In His Shadow 4/8/2015

Good Morning,

Headed out of the door with a cup of Door County Blueberry Cobbler Coffee in my hand. I have a bit of a road trip today. I will be just South of Door County! I wonder if I would be missed at work if I just headed a little further North for a couple of days?

Psalm 91:1-2

91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

Above is a picture of our Springer Spaniel Gibbs. I was training Gibbs that day to retrieve ducks on the water. He was just a year old. It is hard to train a puppy to do a lot of things. But to sit still and wait until he is told to leave is very hard for them to do. The water is very inviting and the temptation to jump in and just swim around is almost overwhelming. I recall that day very well. I started throwing the training duck just a few yards from shore. Gibbs waited and retrieved on command very well. I then threw one out to the middle of the pond. This was further than he had ever swam before. He waited and when his command to go was sounded he didn't move. He looked up at me as if to say "are you sure"? In the picture you can see my shadow over him. I reassured him that he could do it with a soft voice and told him to go. He flew off of the shore and swam toward his mark. The whole time he was swimming I was encouraging him with every yard. When he returned we celebrated by rolling around on the ground and playing. His confidence and trust just soared that day. He was under my shadow. He did not know that I was wearing a life jacket and would have gone in after him if he needed help. He found out that day that I would not ask him to do what he could not do. He could trust me.

God is like that. He coddles us under His wing, but expects us to soar in our service to Him when asked to do so. He sets us up to jump from the shore and trust Him not to let us drown in our efforts. He is always there when we look up and listen. He never leads us astray.

Gibbs is a very confident hunter now. But he still knows that the best place is next to me waiting for instructions. Friends, do the same thing with God. Draw close to Him and await His word of guidance, then jump into action, knowing you are in His shadow.

God bless,

Marty