Lent 2022, Day 21

 


Libby and I have a long way to go in this whole training process. We had our third session today, and now we are both exhausted and in need of a nap. She is snuggled up against me as I write this.

We had mixed success today. She was sort of weird and seemed extra stressed. It’s just a lot. She is a lot. And I, a fan of shortcuts, am accepting that there will be none here. No amount of love will circumvent the need for order, boundaries—rules. And learning/enforcing the rules is going to take a lot of work.

 Makes me think of faith. It’s easy to talk about the love of God. Less easy to talk about the expectations of God. In the modern Christian church, I think some of us have turned what is supposed to be a relationship into something pretty one-sided: God loves us (which we appreciate!!), while we live our lives on our terms, content in simply being loved. Rules are old-fashioned and don’t really apply in our enlightened age; only love given and grace bestowed matter.

 Of course we are loved! Full stop. And God even calls us his friends. But what *sort* of friend am I? One who takes but never gives? one who speaks but never listens? who ignores the boundaries laid out? I call that a bad friend.

It’s obviously much more complex theologically than “bad friend/good friend” (which dances dangerously close to legalism or salvation by works), but as in today’s BiOY passage from Numbers, the people of God have always had certain responsibilities, certain expectations of holiness, standards often at odds with the surrounding culture. This takes commitment, dedication … work. Love and grace cover it all, but I’ve got to do my part.

Back to the little Jennifer/Libby universe: there is mutual adoration and commitment, but there needs to be more: I need to expect more of her, require more of her. These rules will definitely limit her in the short run—no excess barking, no aggressive greeting, no nipping at her canine siblings; in short, less freedom to do as she likes. But what she doesn’t know yet is that these rules and expectations will give her freedom like she has never known.

#lent2022 #bibleinoneyear #rescuedogsofinstagram #repentandbelieve

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