Had a little incident last evening. Our fourteen year old Lhasa Apso known as Harley, to family and friends; tangled with his master. He knows when his master is unhappy. A strong arm points to his pallet. His Lhasa tail leaves its perch on his back. It drops. He stares and growls. Surely, the master is jesting. That arm with finger pointing does not drop. So, Harley, with tail dragging, turns and goes to the farthest area of his bed. Turns and lays down. Those huge brown eyes focus on the master. He will lay there for well over an hour, long after his master left for bed; staring at his empty chair. Sad, that he has disappointed…His master.
The older I get, the more I see my Master, in the things of my “every” days. When I was young, my mind was easily rerouted from my Master and onto the business of the world. Still happens. The clay that I am in the hands of the Master, continually needs remodeling. Would make me sad, were it not that my Master uses all the data, to help me, when I need it the most. Which is the beginning of each new day.
We all have disappointed our Master, our PaPa, our heavenly Father. We make discisions daily that surely disappoint Him. It has been my experience, that the Spirit of God, comes quickly to make me aware. “Kate! Listen up! What you just said, did, or thought was not from your Master. Let’s rethink this. Let’s ponder on your motives. Let’s sit quietly and focus our eyes on the Master. Regroup. Get your mind in sync with the desire’s, teachings and goodness of your Father.”
Have you ever been there? Said that thing that was overheard by one or many? The words, the look, the unkindness just slipped out! Grab it! Pull it back! Take it back, now! Oh, but those things do not come back. They are out there forever. We sit, lay or kneel before our Master. He sees it all. He knows it all. No taking things back with Him. People? Our everyday people? Family? C0-workers? Strangers? They will move on, they will recover. They will have what we said or did, covered by the actions and words of others…along life’s journey. People pass from this life into the next. Do they remember our words? Did they carry pain into heaven with them? Did they report our misplaced words? Those things that hurt and disappointed not only them, but also our Master?
This morning, when Harley’s master came through. Harley, jumped to attention. His beautiful tail waving above his back, once again. Is the master okay? Has he forgotten my misbehavior? Is he still my master? Does he still love me? Will he gently rub my back, chin and ears in that special way of his, that let me know he cares deeply about me? Will he walk out into the yard and view my world with me? Am I still his and is he still…my master?
I am happy to report, they were able to mend their discord from the night before. Happiness abounds in the world of Harley…and PaPa.
Isn’t that what also happens with our Heavenly PaPa, our Father in Heaven, our Master? It is written that He casts our misbehavior, known as sin…from the east to the west. The discipline we suffered because of our will, our disobedience, will turn to joy. The joy and relief of forgiveness. He lays His strong hands on us and brings peace back. We are always going to be in a learning curve. But, each time discipline comes, it brings with it, a new safeguard. A new boundary that we will not cross. We guard our words with great care. We are to be Christ on this earth. We are to draw all men unto Him…Unto the master. We strive daily to make our encounters with others bring hope, not pain. Joy not sadness. Smiles not frowns. Love not hate. Peace not discord.
There is no love like the love between us and the Master. He loves us like no other can. Why, He loves us in spite of ourselves. Like any good Father, He will discipline misbehavior. He will put us in time out to think the situation over. We are a lump of clay that needs refining, perfected, daily. He will take us in His hands and work goodness in, to replace what the world brought. We become a new thing. Did our actions promote His word? His love for a lost world? His Son…Jesus. In this season are many opportunities to represent Christ in word, thought and deed. Let’s do it.
~Scriptures For Today~
Hebrews 12:11
11 Now no chastening for the present seemth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yieldth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. (KJV)
Psalm 103:12
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. (KJV)
Isaiah 64:8
But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. (KJV)
~Prayer For Today~
Hello Father! Hallowed be Your name to all the world. We are reminded today of the purpose of discipline. The time outs of our life. Time to reconnect with You, our Master. Time to allow Your hands to reform us in Your ways. Time for You to work the world out of us. Perfect us, to be messengers of the love of Christ. We pray that as we go about the business of the season, we remember You. The lines we stand in? They are all opportunities to smile, be gracious, give off the greatest gift given to mankind…Jesus. We lift our eyes to You. We ask forgiveness of our worldly ways. We pray for courage to spread the incense of Christ…everywhere and to everyone we meet. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen