I was straying when Christ found me
In the night so dark and cold;
Tenderly His arm went around me,
And He bore me to His fold.
With His nail-scarred hand He bro't me
To the shelter of His love;
Of His grace and will He taught me,
And of heav'nly rest above
Tho' the night be dark around me
I am safe, for He is near;
Never shall my foes confound me,
While the Savior's voice I hear
(Hymn-Hiding Place)
In the middle of last night I let Biskit and Cookie out
front to potty as I do every night. It is a routine. Every night. I usually go sit down and try not to wake up
too much while they do “their thing”. They ALWAYS come back in when they
are done and together we stumble back to bed.
So trustworthy, such
good and obedient dogs.
Last night after a
lengthy time they had not come back inside. I scanned the yard from my front window to see
if they were dawdling around as they sometimes do, taking their good old time
sniffing and peeing. No doggies in sight. I waited a bit longer and still nothing.
Muttering under my breath in frustration, (Mike
was asleep), I put on my clothes, wrapped a blanket around me to keep warm and
went outside to round them up. Gone.
No dogs in sight. I was afraid, worried and angry at the same time. Being in
the dead of night, I couldn’t call for them, so I began walking down the
street. Fuming. In the distance some five or six houses away I saw two white
creatures milling about obviously oblivious
that they have wandered far from the allowable boundaries of their home. I
can't believe it. They had NEVER strayed like this. Ever. I quickly approached
them. Startled, they saw me coming and began running back, knowing they are
BUSTED. We arrived home, me not saying a word until we entered the house. “Bad dogs”,
I yell. They ran to the kitchen for a
treat- I was flabbergasted. No more going out front without supervision. No longer trustworthy! I gave them a
sermon on how I provide for them, keep
them safe, take them on special walks to the park, feed them wholesome food,
keep them healthy, play with them, love them daily. How could they blow me off
for some new night smells. I can't believe it!! They have had a taste of disobedient
freedom and it has gone to their brains. I feared they will try it again…they
have partaken of the forbidden fruit. I was furious.
Then, as I lay in my
bed steaming, wide awake from the midnight
excursion, the Lord brought to mind
images of MY straying everyday.
Getting sidetracked with the "smells" of my hobbies, phone calls, TV, books, little “life
deserts”. Even asking for a special blessing. Oblivious.
He finds me straying just a house away , sometimes the other side of town or
another time zone! Dawdling in other
people's yards…just enjoying myself with my freedom of choice. I am not doing
anything bad, but I am not focused on my Lord and what He has for me that is
always SO much better than what I choose for myself. Believe it or not. Oh how
He loves me, protects me, provides for me, cares for me, desires the best for
me, is gracious to me. He died for me that I may partake of His love, His Kingdom living, right here,
right now.
Why do I stray? What
night smells distract me that I end up in a foreign land…far from the true
source of the goodness and love Jesus lavishes
on me? What makes disobedience (SIN) feel so good, so normal? Why? Why?
Before falling
asleep, I thanked Him for using my life stuff, including my precious doggies, to
remind me of my tendency, like a sheep, to go astray.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wand’ring from the fold of God;
He to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wand’ring heart to Thee;
Never let me wander from Thee,
Never leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
(Hymn-Fount of Blessing)
