Even When Walking The Dog

Dear Friends,

Life can be busy, can’t it? Between work, family, church, neighbors, shopping, cooking, cleaning, and walking the dog - it seems like each day can easily get filled up before we even get to it. The result is that the demands of life can feel overwhelming, and so rather than starting each morning with joy, we end up dreading what the day might hold.

I’ve been pondering this lately as I walk through my own very busy life, while also trying to encourage others who are in the same boat. The good news is, God has been faithful to encourage me. One of the ways He did that today was with 2 Peter 1:3 which says: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”

This passage reminds us that, in God, we have everything we need for life. And not just for the so-called “spiritual aspects” of our lives, but also for the nitty-gritty of life. When we become Christians, God's Holy Spirit comes to live in us - and God has promised that He will never leave us. So as we go through the day, the all-powerful God who never becomes overwhelmed is with us. He’s with us at work, He’s with us in our families, He’s with us as we shop and cook and clean - and He’s even with as we walk our dogs. And because of that truth, we can trust in His ability to provide exactly what we need in all that we’re doing.

The thing to keep in mind is that Peter tells us that God’s divine power is promised to us “through our knowledge of Him”. So it’s not our knowledge ABOUT Him that counts; it’s our knowledge OF Him - which only comes through a living relationship with Him. That means knowing God, communicating with Him, and allowing Him into every aspect of our lives. When we do that, we will have all we need for whatever is going on in our lives - including joy in the midst of chaos.

So today, let’s rest in the assurance that God is with us and will provide all that we need for whatever will happen today. Whether it’s the daily routine, or an unexpected change of plans - let’s talk to God about it all, and allow our knowledge of who He is to carry us through.

Amen?

Daniel