humbleshoeshineboy

I met my favorite preacher 8 1/2 years ago. My Aunt Carol had read an ad in the Milwaukee Sentinel from a fellow selling Bernese Mountain Dog puppies and passed it on to me. I had been looking for one for quite a while without much success, so I was elated to find 13 bouncing playful puppies wrestling in the gentleman’s basement. What a sight! More happiness in one room than you can imagine! Then came the daunting process of narrowing it down to one puppy. I started with the smallest who happened to be sitting on my shoe. I had wanted a really large one so the runt didn’t stand much of a chance. I picked her up and played with her a bit, noting her pretty eyes. Happy, but still a runt. I went through all 13 of them. The fellow would bring me one for inspection and as soon as I set them down, they were off to play with the others. Except for the runt. She never left my side. After I had visited with all the little bundles of fur, it was just her and I sitting there. She gave me one of those looks that was easy to read. It was” I choose you.” Well, could you argue with that face?

So Lucy picked me to be her person, her choice, and we’ve had 8 1/2 joyous years so far. I know that Bernese Mountains dogs only live, on average, 6 years so I’m thankful for every day we are together.

Why is she my favorite Preacher? Lucy has to trust me. She doesn’t have to understand all the things that are going on around her, she just has to look to me to know what to do. Even when she needs to get a shot at the vet, she trusts me over the pain. Her eyes are glued on me. Lucy doesn’t need to worry about bad weather, how much money we have, politics or if the car will start. She doesn’t want a new collar or more toys to play with, all she wants is to be with me.

There is little doubt that the Christian Church is going through the beginning stages of an unprecedented persecution. We are seeing Christians targeted for inhumane slaughter throughout the world. Our Holy book is banned in 52 countries. The political elite in our own country are outlawing the very same foundation, and its people, that our country is built on. Even our fellow Americans have turned on us. Within 3 generations our country has become unrecognizable and irrational. Failing to recognize and ignore these facts won’t save you or your family.

So what hope is there in all that doom and gloom? When we don’t understand all the craziness around us, we need to focus on our Master. We have a King that we can trust and He knows what to do. I chose him and He accepted me.

Lucy didn’t just have to choose me, she studied me and we had to learn how to communicate. Now we don’t really even have to speak, we know each others body language. To be most effective we have to study our King as well. He loves us when we disobey, but disobedience hurts the connection. We MUST keep our eyes on our Savior, we MUST study our Savior if we can stand for Jesus through the inevitable trials to come. There is only eternal hope in Jesus. There is no hope in what  you see around you. Nothing you can attain on your own even matters. All that matters is your bond with Jesus to get you through the anarchy to come.

Choose Him instead of running off to play with the others. Its the only hope you have friends.