As I was leaving my house the other day, a neighbor was walking by with his dog (or his dog was walking by with him). The dog pulled at its leash while jumping in a snow bank, playfully trying to get closer to me.

I feel like this is a good picture of how we sometimes respond to God's will. We may need to ask ourselves, Are we in control or is God?

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

I still have a part to play and need to be in motion to find God’s will. On one hand is the pitfall of absence of effort; on the other is trying to rely on our human strength to do righteousness. Jesus promised to be our guide when we are seeking after him.

Am I jumping at every distraction or walking straight on God's leash? I need to be sniffing, and God will do the steering. If I don’t search I won’t find. We have to yield for him to lead and ask for him to answer.

Another day as I left the house, a different neighbor and dog were walking by. After the dog trotted up to check me out, his owner called him back. Just as the dog responded to his owner with obedience, so we should respond when God calls us. Do I run eagerly toward his call, fixated on him?

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

Photo: flickr/bluelotus