Morning Devotional

June 16, 2005
"Leashed"  
    by Don Emmitte

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"How terrible it will be for you Pharisees! For how you love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the respectful greetings from everyone as you walk through the markets! Yes, how terrible it will be for you. For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on." "Teacher," said an expert in religious law, "you have insulted us, too, in what you just said." "Yes," said Jesus, "how terrible it will be for you experts in religious law! For you crush people beneath impossible religious demands, and you never lift a finger to help ease the burden. (Luke 11:43-46  NLT).

Each morning I start my day thanking God for the peace and freedom from all entanglements that I have in Him. I was reminded of this one morning recently as I walked Cruise around the lake. He is a particularly finicky dog. We like to remind ourselves that he has “issues.” That makes it sound very 21^st Century! The truth is more likely that he simply is stubborn! Walking him around the lake accomplishes two things. First, it gives me a little quiet time to think and pray. And, it also gives Cruise a chance to get our of the house and do the necessary things that dogs do outside.  Of course, he sniffs the grass, deposited some items, checked out a flower, and pranced around the path on the lake. Then I realized how unlike a dog he was actually being. If he were not on the leash, he might be running, rolling, dashing off, and possibly never come back? I wondered who was actually on the leash the dog or me.

Pondering why the leash was necessary, a couple thoughts came to mind. Domestication for dogs in captivity is necessary. Domesticating a dog is training it to be a little less like a dog and a little more like a human. Domesticating is also training the human to be a little more mindful the dog has needs and is never going to be human. We as humans keep animals in an unnatural environment, mostly indoors, and in the box that we call home which is "our" comfort level. We want companionship at a level that is convenient for us which causes unnatural rules and behavior for the animals we keep.

Jesus blended into the common people and met them where they were bringing freedom to the captive. For people like a blind man at a city gate, a woman at a well, and a man that had been dead for three days Jesus gave them all they had ever wanted. From what we know of Jesus' daily life he had no set schedule, instead as He went about His day He gave the people that He came on their hearts wants. Jesus did not have a special appearance but instead looked like those who were common. I wonder when was the last time that we gave someone their hearts desire simply because they asked for it? No leashes, no laws, no stipulations, only that which they want more than anything else and everything to carry out that desire. Have you received your hearts desire lately? I wonder if when we do things for people we do them with only our agenda and goals in mind. Is it that we only do for others so we get something out of it ourselves?

Jesus' message to the religious rulers of his time was that, indeed, they were only thinking of themselves and not the people that they were serving. It is interesting that it was the common people who recognized Jesus for whom He was and the religious leaders, full of biblical knowledge who nailed Jesus to a cross. Is it possible for us to make an acquaintance with a person and our only motive being to serve them with what they need and want, never mentioning our position, our knowledge, or our needs? Meeting human needs was a daily activity that Jesus, the Son of God was consistent in and still is today. The religious leaders were full of book knowledge but when it came to meeting human needs, they crushed the people beneath religious demands but never willing to help. Will you be a person who becomes a common person not bound up in religious laws and controls and instead brings freedom to those who are in need of a miracle? Be a person who makes your daily activities meeting human needs, giving God glory through your serving.