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Listen while you read: "We Give Thee But Thine Own"1 (Lyrics) |
Deuteronomy 4:1 – Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. (NIV)
While out walking with the dogs the other day, I experienced a moment of great concern. Some of the dogs were running along the trail ahead of me, while some were walking with me. My collie, Bonnie, was one of the ones out front. I could see that she was running back and forth across the trailhead, an action which alerted me to the possibility of another presence. As she wasn't barking or wagging her tail, however, I wondered what the issue was. Then, Sophie let loose with her alarm bark, immediately prompting me to call all the dogs back to me. Fortunately, they all came quickly, even the two that can sometimes take their time about such things.
When we reached the trailhead, the dogs were on high alert, heads up, nostrils sniffing, behaviour wary, as they scanned the trees and the outcropping of rocks. Then I heard it, the yipping cry of the coyote, tempting the dogs to chase after it, only to be ambushed by several of them, once the tempter had drawn them away. I quickly commanded the dogs to get behind me, and we turned and took the opposite path. All of the dogs obeyed, and we finished our walk without further ado. If any of them had not obeyed my word and been drawn away by the coyote's call, our walk would have had a very different and sad ending.
Evil is everywhere, and much like the wily coyote, it is always seeking to tempt us away from obedience to God and His Word. It yips and yaps about a better life if we would only do this or that: cheat a little here and there; leave what needs to be done today until tomorrow; spend, spend, spend, instead of saving for a rainy day; take what doesn't belong to us, because we deserve it more than the other fellow anyway. Yet, God's Word continually calls us to listen, to obey Him, and not to be tempted by what the world has to offer, but to take possession of the land, the kingdom that He has laid before us. This kingdom may not always give us all the material comfort and things that we may think that we should have, but it does guarantee so much more, that we will live a full and abundant life, a wide and spacious life crammed with the light of God's wisdom, love, goodness, mercy, justice, peace, forgiveness, and contentment here on earth, with so much more blessing to come throughout eternity.
Who will we listen to and follow today? The choice is ours.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your Word and the power of Your Holy Spirit within us that call us to obedience, that we might possess the spacious and blessed land of Your kingdom here on earth, as well as in heaven. Grant us hearts of desire always to listen and obey You quickly, that we might not be led into evil and its destructive lifestyle now or in the future. In Christ's name, we ask. Amen.
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Saturday, May 18, 2024 – In North Africa — Living in North Africa we get so used to hearing the call to prayer it becomes like background noise and sometimes I don't hear it anymore. I am challenged by the fact that some Muslims are so committed to pray that they go to the mosque 5 times a day. Would you consider, with me, setting your alarm to go off at 3:00 every day and pray for these three things: 5 families to come to know Christ, 3 people for us to read scripture with,1 new church plant.
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Well said, Lynn.
Great reminder, thanks Lynne and God bless!
Thanks, Lynne for another beautiful devotion!
Thanks for sharing this devotional reminder with us. May we always be obedient. Blessings.
Thank you, Lynne. A great analogy, and very happy you and your dogs had a positive outcome.
Thank you once again, Lynne. Please keep writing.
God bless you
Hi again Lynne: Again, such a clear application. Thank you.
(Ontario)
Good message, Lynne. I like hearing the coyotes at night. I never thought of them calling to others.
An interesting point, thank you.
Hi Lynn,
The choice is ours indeed,
Thank you for writing.
Blessings.
Grateful as usual for your inspired understanding, all your dog stories and the down to earth way you write these fascinating accounts. Much love to you, Lynne. Your writing seems effortless, but I know how hard it is to get it right as you do.
Good Morning Lynne,
Thank you for another interesting, suspenseful, action packed, Godly adventure, with a very helpful and meaningful illustration of God’s loving protection, provision, and instruction.
Good morning Lynne,
Many thanks for another good and very meaningful devotional. Yes, it is so easy to be led along the wrong path but a much better and joyous route to be obedient and follow the leading of our precious Lord.
Blessings,
(B.C.)
Great story Lynn! I’m so glad your dogs listened to you! I can only imagine what that would have like, if they hadn’t! Oh my!
A great reference to the Bible as well because the Devil (which I believe) is showing his ugly head through our politicians right now! I would never have thought that we would be going through this in my life time, where God might be coming to get all his followers sooner than later! I pray that this won’t happen, but the Devil is so strong, I am wondering. I do know that God has the last word and it will be GOOD!
May God bless you and keep you and your dogs safe at all times.
Our minister returned from inter-mission he got to Rome and he was tracing the steps of Paul and how he ended in prison. He reminded us of the number of students who were killed in schools in Africa because they stood up and said yes, they were Christian.
We ended study with the question for all of us to think about if you were told if you were a Christian you would be shot or you would lose your job or evicted from your apt what would you say? would you be like those students who died for Christ. Or the church where the man walked into the congregation and said all Christians stand and be killed. Non-Christians can leave. He said because most of us in that study were retired so the question might be an easy way out, but think what if we were the age of over 300 University the students who stood and died.
(ON)
Excellent analogy today, Lynne!
We live at the base of a mountain and we do hear coyotes from time to time. Of course, they were here before us but we need to be aware of what can happen to personal animals. Even if we have an iron fence around our place, we keep our pet in at night. Sometimes we feel “secure” with this protection but a coyote, if it wanted could scale almost any wall or fence in no time. They are trying to survive and are a part of God’s creation. We, though, have a mighty God who is over our enemy.
Christians always need to be AWARE! The enemy looks about and roams around to see who he can devour~!
Have a blessed week with your sweet animals!