Hello Friends,

Perhaps you know the joys of having a dog. We have two chocolate labs—one 5 years old and one 8 months old. Truffles has been my faithful walking companion through many seasons. Sure, she went through her let me take the lead stage. But she has settled in to be a great walking companion.

A neighbor began chatting with me one day about teaching her dogs to heal. “It’s my favorite exercise. I train them to respond to the words, With me. They are to touch my leg as I walk, every step. If I turn, they turn. If I pick up my pace, so do they. If they miss my lead they instantly know because they feel the absence of my presence.”

My brain raced.

• Favorite exercise…
• At my pace…
• They instantly know because they feel the absence of my presence.

You know where I’m going with this, don’t you? Yes, so it is with God. To walk with Him so close we sense when He wants us to pick up the pace or walk at leisure, or to know that danger is coming and He wants to get us to safety.

My neighbor continued. “I can feed the horses, travel to and from the barn, and there she is, right next to me.”

Her concept of training her dogs to be near when they would otherwise be tempted to run after a deer or a passing dog fascinated me. I immediately connected the similarity to our walk with God. How might I walk in a way so close to my Lord that I may know when He redirects? Oh, the safety and sweet fellowship that comes from such nearness.

“Of course,” she continued, “I also have times I just say, Stay Close. That means in sight. Which allows them freedom, yet I still know where they are.”What a concept.

What does it take to have a relationship like that with Jesus? Nothing spells out closeness with God like John 17:20-23. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Then there is Moses’ conversation with God as he led the people of Israel through the wilderness:

“Then Moses said to him, ‘If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here’” (Exodus 33:15).

Life wasn’t worth the energy for Moses if God wasn’t with him. I would echo that. And since we have a God who promises to never leave us or forsake His own, I want to walk as close to Him as I can.

Just this last summer, after a busy season of puppies, I felt the Lord direct me to have Truffles spayed. This perplexed me a bit since we normally have four litters before having a female fixed.

Hmm…is that really You, God?

This gentle but persistent thought came back to me again and again. But it would be two years before Chipples is old enough to breed. That would create quite a gap for our little business. Yet the nudge persisted. I had to admit the pause would do us all good. We were pretty wiped out from our last puppy escapade.

So I did. I moved forward on what seemed like a crazy move from a business standpoint, had Truffles spayed, and waited. Two months later my dad, who lives with us, began facing congestive heart failure. A trip to the hospital in late October revealed his heart was only working 20%-25% of capacity. He would need more care than normal. God in His mercy was preparing the way so I wouldn’t have promised puppies to folks at a time that would be unthinkable to have a litter. Oh, the mercies of our Father God!

How many insights might our Lord gladly share with us if we would listen? His heart is to keep us close—to save is from unnecessary trouble, to walk in unity with Him, even to provide rest.

How about you? Can you think of a time God led you specifically through a season that only made sense after-the -fact? Did you sense His nearness? I’d love to hear your story.

Walk with God,

Melinda Poling