The Worship of Dogs

We have a beagle and a dauchsund.  Every morning when they come out of their crates they must have a personal time with each of their humans.  It seems to be like a canine "quiet time" with their masters.  If either Judith or I are behind a closed door they will lay at the door and whine until they get that "one on one time."  I wish I had their same enthusiasm every day to spend early morning time with my master, but they also exhibit some traits I don't want to copy.

When I say "one on one time" well, it is hardly that.  They are really after a good petting but they cannot be content with just getting one, they each have to try to push the other out of what they see as the prime petting zone.  If one is getting a belly rub the other will lay down to get one too. Then after a few moments it appears to one or the other of them that the belly rub is really being done better by the other hand at the place where the other dog is so one dog will try to displace the other.  They take turns doing this, never seeming content with what they have because it always appears that someone else is getting a better deal.

It is much like this when we come home at the end of the day.  They will be there at the door waiting for us to speak to them and pet them.  We do, but the same thing happens, just like in the morning, that other dog is getting a better deal.  So it often happens that this time that they have come to see us ends up being a time they cannot take their eyes off each other.  Soon they end up in a wrestling match at our feet.  We give up the petting and walk away and often they continue the puppy pushing and shoving for a while after we are gone.

I wonder if we ever seem like that to God when we come to worship Him?  We have this desire to be with our master and to hear from Him and know His love but our eyes drift from Him to that person we have a difference with and we get caught up in watching them.  What are they saying?  What kind of attention are they getting?  Are they going to act in a way that offends us again?  We just have to watch to see if they are.  Are they going to say or doing something new about which I can find offense?  We dare not take our eyes of them.  Are they getting a better deal than what they deserve?  Are they getting some of the things that I deserve?

And in those moments, we lose touch with our master and miss what He has for us.  I wonder if sometimes He just walks away and we are so caught up in our pushing and shoving that we don't even realize He is no longer there?  Can we really come "together" and meet with God?  Paul gives us a good look at that in Ephesians 4:1-6.  I hope you will read that before Sunday and then meet with me as we come to worship God - together.  And by the way, don't expect or look for anyone else to receive a belly rub.

For the journey...
Tim