This cute thing right here is my dog…
Solomon.
The ironically unwise and inappropriately named beagle.
He’s super pretty, yet super naughty, in an-about-equal-ratio.
But sometimes I think I could learn a little something from him.
A little something about perseverance.
Take our garden. There is a hole in the fence that we have blocked off with a piece of old shed. If it wasn’t blocked off, the dog would escape. He did escape actually. Quite a few times before we figured out where the hole was. But, ever to persevere, Sol has realised that if he runs, full strength at the piece of old shed, and kind of head-butts it, after a few times it will fall over. And he can escape. Again.
Perseverance despite obstacles.
Take tonight’s dinner. We had pie. Solomon had dry dog biscuits. He would have rather had pie, but he settled for the empty pie tray. The empty pie tray that had been put into the bin. With shoes on top of the bin to stop beagle noses from pushing up the lid. But still, after an hour, he had figured out a way. Who knows how. But one thing we do know… The dog’s desert consisted of gravy… And tin foil wrapping. Lovely.
Perseverance, even when it seems like you’re missing out on the main meal.
Take his sleeping arrangements. Sol has a bed. A dog bed. In the kitchen. But he prefers a human bed. Ideally with a human in it. And so he waits, patiently, until said humans are asleep, sneaks upstairs, and stealthily creeps onto the chosen bed (in either mine or Becca’s rooms)… And then gradually spreads out to fill any space. He is a small dog. But I often wake up on the edge of my king-size bed, because the dog has pushed me over in the night.
Perseverance, to get to where we want to be.
Romans 5 says this;
Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, a right standing with God) through faith, let us (grasp the fact that we) have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him also we have (our) access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God’s favour) in which we (firmly and safely) stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God. Moreover (let us also be full of joy now!) let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance. And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character (of this sort) produces (the habit of) joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation. Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given us.
So I was thinking this evening, as I shouted at my dog for the third time in the night, that maybe I could learn a little something from him about perseverance. That relentless pressing through obstacles and trials and set backs, to chase after the thing that is really my heart’s desire. Which is God. Whose love has been poured out into my heart through the Holy Spirit.
And He who holds the seven stars in His hand, He holds my heart. He who orchestrates the seasons, He is writing my story.
beautifulsilliness 