I’m sitting in my yard as I write this. Our puppy, Cooper, is pouncing on blades of grass and chomping at them while the sun begins to rise and the birds begin to sing.
As far as basic puppy training goes, Cooper is a star. He will sit and stay, shake paws, and our boys taught him to jump on command. I’ve read the books, watched loads of YouTube videos, and am doing my best to get this dog trained.
Sometimes, however, Cooper simply doesn’t care to cooperate.
Actually, it may be a little more than sometimes.
This adorable little puppy, who I know can sit, stay, come, and heel, will sometimes deliberately choose to disobey our commands. Especially if it involves giving up a toy, crayon, or shoe.
I’m eager to train him to do the really cool stuff. You know, like walk on his back legs and leap through a blazing ring of fire cool. (Actually probably not…I’d settle for a calm greeting when our elderly neighbors want to say hi. So there’s that.)
But if what I’m reading is trustworthy, the priority right now isn’t training Cooper to do the awesome and awe-inspiring. The priority right now is on getting consistent obedience with the basic commands. If we can get the basics down, then the fun and cool tricks will come along later and he will be prepared to learn and obey.
As I watch Cooper roam and explore this morning, I wonder how I am doing at being obedient to God.
“No man ever receives a word from God without instantly being put to the test over it. We disobey and then wonder why we don’t go on spiritually.”
Oswald chambers
It is certainly true that I’ve often desired bigger, more spiritually awesome calls from God. There are days when keeping house and raising my boys feels a little underwhelming in the Kingdom-sphere. Days when being a missionary sounds a tad more fulfilling and adventurous. Like someone might write a book about my life when I die kind of cool.
But the truth is, God is giving me basic commands to obey every day. Love your neighbor. Do everything without complaining or arguing. Care for the poor. Act with justice and mercy.
Friends, until we are obeying God consistently in the basic commands God has given all of us, how can we expect anything more advanced for ourselves?
How often, friends, do you suppose that God walks alongside of us, giving us basic commands, only to have us blatantly disobey?
As Oswald Chambers concludes in My Utmost for His Highest, “No man ever receives a word from God without instantly being put to the test over it. We disobey and then wonder why we don’t go on spiritually.”
Let us go out today with a focus on obeying the basics. For by learning to walk with God reliably and consistently, we make space to allow for deeper and more advanced training.
