Go Where God Points

“Even then, my work didn’t amount to all that much. It was God giving me the work to do, God giving me the energy to do it.”  (1 Corinthians 15:10 MSG)

My golden retriever would not make a good hunting dog. She has neither the training, nor the disposition. She chases whatever is in front of her, whether it is a rabbit, a squirrel, a frog, or a bird. She is strong-willed and intelligent. She will follow directions--but only when she thinks it might benefit her in some way.

Good bird-hunting dogs are tuned in to their masters. These dogs are trained to be disciplined and obedient. They do not get distracted easily. Hunting dogs must have a ‘soft mouth’--the ability to hold something in their mouth with a light grip. They must be able to retrieve what their master wants--without consuming it--without damaging it.

I would like to develop the traits of a good hunting dog. I want to go where God points. I want to do what He commands.  

In order to know where God is pointing, I have to keep my eyes focused on Him. I have to listen for directions. I have to be disciplined enough to wait for the proper timing. I can’t chase after other interesting things that pass before me. I have to stay tuned-in, alert, ready. And when the time comes, I have to be willing to run into the unknown and do what I am supposed to do--not for my benefit, but because it’s God’s will.

I want to focus every resource that God has granted me today--time, energy, abilities, mental faculties, opportunities, health, wealth, freedom, security, experiences, pain, disappointments, relationships, technology--to accomplish God’s purpose. I have to be careful not to consume any of these resources for my own benefit. I have to hold them with a light grip, remembering that my duty is to lay everything softly at my Master’s feet.