Scripture
Isaiah 1:3 (NIV)
“The ox knows its master,
the donkey its owner’s manger,
but Israel does not know,
my people do not understand.”
Observation
I’m very fortunate to be able to spend time with the dogs. We had a dog, when I was growing up, who had always been there in my life from the day I had been born. You could say that we grew up together. Her name was “Baby” and she was a good dog. There’s not a lot I remember from my time with Baby, though. I remember that she became blind later on in her life. I would carry her to the front door in the house and then we’d go outside. It’s funny now when I think about it because she had no problem walking around the inside of the house. Outside she had no problem getting around either. I always talk to the dogs and I know that I talked to Baby. I suppose that, as long as she could hear my voice, she knew that she was okay.
When I first moved to Sacramento, three years ago, the dogs that were here were all grown up and accustomed to their ways. I hadn’t been around dogs since I was a kid so most of my experience with them was with Baby and other dogs in the neighborhood. I tried throwing the ball and the stick but the dogs didn’t know these things. They didn’t do anything that I remember doing with Baby. It didn’t take them very long, though, to get to know me because we spent time together every day.
Jesus tells us that His sheep will follow Him because they know His voice (John 10:14). In the time that I’ve had around the dogs, I believe that the Lord has shown me a lot about myself and Him. He’s shown me that knowing His voice is to know Him. It’s not, as I once thought, just the sound of his voice, a gentle whisper. Knowing the Master’s voice is knowing that I can trust Him. He’s loving, kind, fair, just, holy, and pure. God is everything good. It’s His kindness, not condemnation, that leads me to repentance (Romans 2:4).
We know God’s voice by knowing His character and we can only get to know the character of God by spending time with Him. When I first moved to Sacramento, if I hadn’t spent time with the dogs then they wouldn’t have gotten to know my character. I would have been treated like any stranger, with quizzical barks and hesitation until I proved that I wasn’t a threat. This is how we treat God when we don’t spend time getting to know Him.
The relationship you have with God is as close as you want it to be. I can tell you that when you go closer to God that He will come closer to you (James 4:8). I can tell you that a couple of hours a week, in church, isn’t enough to get to know Him. Corporate gatherings are great but they often lack the intimacy that we desire. If you’ve ever had a backstage pass then you know the difference between watching a concert and spending time with the band. Fortunately, for us, we don’t need any special pass to talk to God. All we need is Jesus. He’s there, waiting, won’t you let Him in?
Do you know God? God knows you and He loves you. He sees you as significant because you are. Nothing is insignificant to Him. He’s with you today, right now, and He wants you to know Him. Jesus died for your sins and mine so that we could be free of guilt, be freed from death, and live eternally with Him. Eternal salvation is just a prayer away.
Pray this prayer with me to accept the gift of salvation today:
Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. Amen.
If you prayed that prayer then congratulations! You are on the first step of a brand new life. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to my family, the family of God. There are abundant resources available online for new Christians. You can visit here for more information on what to do next. You can also leave me a comment and I’ll do my best to help you on the next step of this incredible journey.
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