Walks, Talks & Sniffing

Two years ago, we got a dog. What a lovely walking companion as walking is an exercise I enjoy. She is a Corgi that is short in the legs, broad in the back and cute in face, so she doesn't go fast and pull on her lease.  Good for her neck and good for my back.

Now I walk and talk to the Lord. It's all good except... my stubborn-by-breed herder Corgi gets in these moods when she is not super engaged with our walking and wants to stop and sniff every 10 yards.  Patience comes on my part to allow some sniffing and some encouragement to walk with me, not in spite of me.  She gets it in her mind that she will walk as fast or slow as she wills and stops at every doggy smell in the neighborhood. Everyone knows me and my dog because I am the one out front walking and she trails behind.  Humorous.

As she and I were stopped for a sniff the other day (I was cold and inpatient, since I don't find sniffing that appealing), I started thinking about walking with God.  How many times when He is trying to take me by the Spirit to new places as we walk, then I 'stop and sniff'.  Can you see it, feel it? a slight tug on my spiritual leash and then His voice encouraging me to walk on.  I can get so distracted by the 'smells' of life.  Can you?  Sure you do.

Following Jesus is essential to any Christian life. Focus on the practices of faith are life-giving and keep us in step with our training.  Prayer, Bible study, meditation, fellowship and service in balance maintain a healthy relationship with God, along with walking well.  I admire dogs that are trained by command who walk by their master off-leash.  Impressive but is that me and God?  There are times when I sense I am off-leash and just enjoying the freedom of His presence.  Sometimes I am not.

This blog is wandering a bit but to end, I am very interested in your thoughts on walking by the Spirit.  

"By this we may know that we are in him (God); whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked." 1 John 2:5, 6 ESV

Keep walking and talking but listening more, and if you are a doggy, sniff around some.
Nancy B