Be a Walking, Talking Bible

Hi,

How are you doing?  I am tired.  We are dogsitting my granddog, Tobi.  He is a Redbone Coonhound and likes to bay and bay and bay and bay.  Tobi is much loved by his master, our youngest son.  Tobi is not used to being alone at any time.  So when we cage him when we go out he will bay and bay and bay.  He was doing that at night when we went to bed because he is used to sleeping with his master.  So we let him sleep with us.  All 80 pounds of him.  The first night I spent sleeping in the spare bedroom because he was sleeping before I got into bed and so was my wife.  I didn't want to cause a scene and disturb her or the dog.  Yes, I am whipped.  To remedy the problem I made sure I went to bed when they did and Tobi curled up at the foot of the bed.  That was acceptable and we had a good night's sleep.  Tobi likes to get up around 6:30 am.  I like to get up around 8 am.  Guess who won?  We had to childproof, er, dogproof our home.  All food had to be put away or at least out of reach.  Learned that after the first night when Tobi had a 1/2 loaf of bread and practically a whole package of English muffins during the time I was gone to do a funeral and we had not caged him.  Then there is the bathroom, er, going potty outside schedule.  You see, we already have 2 dogs of our own. One of them is a boxer puppy that was born January 21 so we have our hands full.  I am tired.  Did I mention that Tobi likes to bay and bay and bay.  He misses his master.

It all reminds me of us and Jesus.  Ok, it may be a bit of a stretch, but this is what happens when you see everything theologically: news, movies, work, even driving in traffic or shopping.  I can't turn it off so, hence, my Tobi story.  As I was saying, we want to be with our Master, but we feel like He is not here and that one day we will be there with Him.  In the meantime we behave badly while trying to please ourselves.  It seems that we are always crying out for attention (baying) and we do it in a variety of ways.  We don't take care of ourselves so we get sick and need attention or we mess up financially by living beyond our means and then we need attention from family or friends to get us out of a jam.  Perhaps we just like drama so that we get the attention we desire.  Whatever it is we do to get attention it is wrong.  Life is not about us.  It is about Jesus.  You and I have been called to be witnesses to the world for the sake of the gospel.  It is our destiny to be witnesses of the Gospel to a hurting world that craves attention.  Matthew 28, the Great Commission, or Acts 1, the Holy Spirit power to be witnesses, or 2 Corinthians 5:20: we are therefore Christ's ambassadors...  The world is baying for attention because it will not find peace until it finds its Master and that Master is Jesus.  I can bay pretty good myself or haven't you noticed?  I love my son therefore I love his dog and things will be just fine.  Did I mention that Tobi likes to bay and bay and bay?  

God loves you and so do I,

Pastor Bruce