OK, I’ll admit it, I’m a hardcore dog guy. Not those little purse dogs that women use to emasculate their husbands, but big dogs. If your canine isn’t at least 50 pounds, its a feline. They say little dogs are smarter, maybe, but I don’t need one to fix my lawnmower or do my taxes, so I’m alright with that. They do try to lie sometimes though. They’ll always try to blame the cat for everything. Still, trying to blame the cat for a extremely rare accident in the house never works. Mainly because the mess weighs more than the cat. Nor did the cat pee on the truck tire 2 feet high. I can even tell which dog did it, they are the worst liars. The look of guilt is so obvious that Ray Charles could tell the guilty party!
One thing about big dogs is that they are 100% dedicated to you. They live on every word that comes out of your mouth. They always have had plenty(!) of good food and water, so they lack nothing physical, but a stern word will ruin their day and if you simply smile at them, it rocks their world! I can read their faces and they know everything about me and trust me in every way. That’s a very tight and solid relationship, and we are all committed to each other to and through death. To say that they are passionate is an understatement!
In Revelation 3:15-16, God sends His last message to the little town of Laodicea.
” I know all your ways; you are neither hot nor cold. How I wish you were either hot or cold,! But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
Laodicea was a pretty wealthy town. Life was pretty easy for them and while they were not an apostate church, they really weren’t on fire for Jesus. They didn’t really need Him, they were fine on their own and Jesus was just something they did also. We would call them churchgoers.Yes, there were posers in the early Christian days just like now in our post Christian America. Not bad people, just fakes. Those folks were not passionately committed and God was not pleased. His people did not know Him enough to have that incessant passion that even a dog has for his master.
How many of us have that doglike passion to study and know our Master? It reminds me of Mary at His feet, mesmerized with every word He spoke. Does His smile make our day bright and His discipline curl our tail under? Are we more like the uncommitted Laodiceans, sufficient in our own comforts, only needing Him when there is a glitch in the flow of worldly pleasures? God has already promised that He is all in for us, to and through death (Thank you Jesus!), we just need to decide if we are hot, cold, or spit out. He can tell when you’re lying too, so don’t even bother with some lame excuse, the cat didn’t keep you from studying your Bible. Although if it were possible, it would be a cat that would do it!
Friends, we have a very kind and gracious Master, who promised to provide us with everything we need (not want). He has greater things planned for us than we can even imagine. We just need to truly dedicate ourselves to get to know Him. He requires that commitment from you. There is no substitute, your earnest commitment. No posers allowed.
Where are you on that today friends? Has the glitter of the world caught your eye. There is a time coming that will really separate the real from the fake. Are committed enough to die for Jesus or only enough to give Him an hour on Sunday and some pocket change? Will you take the abuse for being a Christian or accept false doctrine just to get along? Will you simply leave your Master when the world offers you a Scooby snack?
Wag hard, Friends
humbleshoeshineboy 