Haven't We Been Over This Already?

So, Radley is now about nine months old, and since my roommate got him when he was only about five weeks old, two things are very true. One, he learned a lot of tricks, routines, patterns very early in life, and two, it feels like he's been a puppy forever! See, early on we taught him to sit, lay down, stay, and to come when called. Along the way he also learned our personalities, patterns, and behaviors. He knew when we wanted to pet him, and when we wanted him to leave us alone. He learned where his boundaries were and what things were off limits.

But, here's the thing: as he's gotten older and bigger and changed, he's entered a new phase where he doesn't mind as much anymore and all the things that he's learned seemed to have gone right out the window. I was thinking about that the other day and how once again, it so closely mimics and reflects my walk with Christ. See, I've been living with Christ for almost twenty-four years now -- I came to faith when I was about six or seven -- and I've learned a lot about what it means to be a follower of Christ. Along the way as Christ has taught me things and shown me things, I've also picked up a good bit about God's personality, and yet there are seasons in my life, just like with Radley, when those lessons and the things I know seem to have flown right out the window, and I live like I'm brand new at the this whole Christian-life thing.

And when these times come, it's as if God has to come back and re-teach the basics to me, like we're having to do now with Radley. This is how to sit, lay down, come when called, these are the boundaries, this is off limits. It's tedious work, with puppies and with people. I'm just so thankful that God's patience is infinitely greater with me than mine is with that little white dog sometimes.