Starting out up towards Bear Flats, we were met with 4 very curious and friendly dogs. A husky was the largest in the group, along with 3 other hound like dogs, one even like a Rottweiler mixed puppy. I was immediately reminded of my Goldyn. One dog seemed to be the oldest of the bunch, with a peppered gray and black coat. Just one had a name tag, the others with collars but no tags. I thought that they would greet us and then leave us as we left the paved road and began our descent up the mountain. But no, they seemed as eager and determined as us to go on a hike. My hiking buddy and I mused about them, she at first reluctant to let them follow us, but we both figured that sooner or later they would tire, and would go on home. But not . . .
Seven and a half miles later, those dogs had become our best friends! They never left us, and in fact paved the way up the trail. The husky definitely took the leadership role, and always waited for us if we lagged behind. The others seemed to just enjoy the trail, sniffing, searching out for things to chew and nibble at, frolicking with one another. The puppy had to be reminded at times, who was in the charge, and of course, that would be the husky, not him! When we arrived at the summit, and pulled out our snacks, my friend now completely enthralled with our companions, lamented that we didn't have enough of "dog appropriate snacks," as some of our trail mixes had chocolate in them. But we shared what we could, and they rested by our side, content to take in the view like us.
Then down we went together, even as we passed other hikers, they continued to escort only us. Back on the paved route, the 3 hound-like dogs finally did bid us farewell as they scampered up to their cabin home. But the husky would see fit to walk us to our car, and only when we told "Chief" to go home, did he turn back. Yes, we had ended up naming all of our buddies, as we were all in with a relationship with them. My girlfriend and I remarked with that unusual day of hiking with dogs, that it just like the ever abiding presence and relationship of the Holy Spirit being with us as we walk the trails of life. Walking in the same direction, not having to be fearful of what lies beyond the next switchback or of the heights we're going, because He has gone before us, He is beside us, behind us and patiently waits as we rest in His comfort. It's walking in a long obedience in the same direction, as Eugene Peterson has said.
I've been immersed in the history books of the Old Testament. These books are often skipped over or lightly skimmed by typical readers. Usually, the comment is that they are too gruesome, too much savagery, too much of an image of an angry, judgmental God. We would rather see life as picture perfect, especially here in the good ol' USA. We read the Bible with a very narrow Western modern view, instead of reading it as it is, an ancient Near East document of its time. It records the reality of life in that time period in graphic terms. Times filled with wars, including tribal warfare against your own people, as well as kings and rulers that either lead their people in following after the one true Yahweh, or leading them in the wrong way of polytheistic, fertility worship. The point of all of it is ultimately the preservation of one small nation of Israel that can ultimately produce the Savior of the world. It was always about the "if" clause that Israel had to live up to. If they truly followed God with all their heart, mind and soul, then the land would be theirs and they could live in peace. But reality is, that "if" was always met with a desire to be their own god, and instead live on their own terms. So ancient history was a murky past.
It's the paradox and tension of man's free will and God being sovereign. Life is lived in that tension. God isn't absent in our days, He knows the outcome, but He does allow our choices to be made. He never forces Himself on us. There were Kings of Israel that sought to follow after God with a whole heart, like David. Yes, he was far from perfect, but he owned up to that, didn't make excuses for himself, and stayed the course. His persistent faithful walk made a difference for those descendants who came after him. Maybe, our life isn't about us, maybe it really only matters for those who come after us. I have to get out of my myopic view of me, and realize that maybe my tiny life matters only to future generations.
Perhaps that's why we are in such a dismal, divided time in our country. We have ignored and denied the past evil and wrongs we did to the true people of this America and those that we enslaved. We have whitewashed our sins, and still want to feel that we are entitled to privileges reserved only for our kind. Will we ever repent, lament and restore? We are forging a trail of self that will ultimately lead to destruction, only time will tell, even though it is documented throughout the histories of the world. But for me, I do not want to walk in that way. I want to walk and hike in the steps of Jesus, trusting in the Hound of Heaven to be with me. I want to go the long haul, a long obedience in the same direction . . . His way.
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