A Dog’s Perspective

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

— 2 Cor 5:7 (NRSV)

NEWS FLASH

BULL SWAMP USA (CR News) — Once again, Earl found himself sitting downstairs late at night reading his Bible and talking to “D.D.” D.D.” is his wife Deni’s dog (thus the name D.D.).

Earl found himself wondering if this was going to be another one of those nights. If it were, he hoped it would come with another Holy Moment.

Let’s talk.

BACKGROUND

Earl found what seemed to be a peculiar passage in the Bible. It was in St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. In the passage, St. Paul said that we should learn to walk more by faith and not rely so much on our physical sight. He pondered the verse.

What was out there beyond our planet that we had not yet seen and know nothing about? What was at the bottom of the sea that mankind has not yet discovered? Was it really true that, if scientist and academics don’t know how to research it, then it must not exist?

It seemed to Earl that the reliability of our five senses was actually quite limited.

NITTY GRITTY

The old man prayed. And then, he just sat there — very still.

Earl was silent. He hoped that in his silence, the Holy Spirit might somehow enlighten him. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before a strange thought entered his head.

“Our five senses help us navigate the natural world,” the quiet voice seemed to say, “but there’s so much more to life than what we can see and touch.

“There are things that eyes have not yet seen and ears have not yet heard (cf. 1 Cor 2:9). But in spite of the fact that we cannot experience them with our five senses, they are definitely real.”

“Wow!” Earl wondered. “Where did that come from?

“Is that you, Lord,” he inquired.

There was nothing. Just silence. There was no answer to that question.

Earl looked down at D.D. The old dog was resting faithfully at Earl’s feet. Earl had just uncovered one of the most amazing secrets in the universe hidden in plain view in his Bible, and Deni’s dog (D.D.) didn’t even notice. The heavens had spoken to him, a mere, mortal man, and this little dog missed it completely.

“Theology and life are so much simpler,” the little dog heard in his thoughts as he lay there sleeping, “when you don’t have to contend with human nature.”

And he continued to sleep at Earl’s feet. Deni loved that old hound — both of them.

And yes, Earl experienced another Holy Moment. God just seems to work that way!

OUR STORY

That’s our story and we’re sticking to it!

NEXT STEPS

After you’ve read a little in your Bible and considered what you have read, ask yourself three questions:

• QUESTION #1: What should you start doing that you’re not doing now?
• QUESTION #2: What should you stop doing that you’ve been doing?
• QUESTION #3: Or what are you doing, that you should change how you’re doing it?

You can’t change the world — but you can have a positive impact on the people around you. God will do the rest. Trust Jesus!

Vivat Jesus!