One evening I welcomed to my house two guests, the world famous concert violinist, LeRoy Peterson, and his wife Carol, who announced to me that we had a porcupine in the backyard. Sure enough it was a big one snoozing on the bottom branch of one of our trees. It is rather exciting but now I had a major problem. When will it be safe to allow my dog outside? For a few of the coming nights I think I will take her out under my careful watchful eye. She will be puzzled why she cannot just roam the yard like usual.
Often times God tells us not to go somewhere and in our limited intelligence we cannot see why not. Because we are filled with self-importance and trust our own judgment we disobey Him and not long after we begin to reap the results. We should have listened. I’m sure my dog will say to me, “Hey, stop following me. I’m okay. This is my yard. I have been out here a thousand times.” She just can’t understand the pain that awaits her if she crosses paths with that porcupine.
God always has our best interest at heart. There is nothing He asks us to stay away from that is not harmful. Good parents hate things that harm their children. That is why God hates sin. If it’s good for you He wants you to have it. It is just that simple. Psalm 119:105 says it so well. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Just as I know dangers my dog doesn’t know, so God knows dangers we don’t know.
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 21, 2008.
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574