My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they know Me, and they follow me.

~John 10:27 NKJV

When I got Sierra as a puppy, she insisted on walking ahead of me. Learning to follow was a lesson I had to teach her. 

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Using her collar, I gently tried to guide her to follow behind me, but it was something she couldn’t comprehend. She would rush by me and take the lead once again. In every room I entered, Sierra waited to be the first to exit. When I left the kitchen, she presumed I was heading to the living room. If I left the bedroom, she assumed I was heading to the bathroom. With each step, she played catch-up because she had no idea where I was heading.

When she got older, she started stopping in front of me. Again, I took her by the collar, guided her behind me, and encouraged her with the words, “Get behind.” Over and over, I repeated this process, but to no avail. She didn’t get it, or her stubbornness prevented her from following. Looking into those big brown eyes, I’d tell her, “If you follow me, you’ll know where I am going.” But she would stare at me, wag her tail, and insist on leading the way.

One day, in frustration, I deliberately walked around the house and studied her actions and body cues. When I left a room and she led the way, her ears would be up and pointed forward. Her tail would wag. Her gait would be bouncy. But within minutes, she would become uncertain. Her gait would slow, and her feet would shuffle. Her ears would pivot back towards me, and her tail would stop wagging. Thinking she knew the way to go, she’d be excited. Becoming unsure, she’d look and listen for clues about where I was going.

 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

~Galatians 5:25 ESV

Then it hit me. I gasped and shook my head, asking myself how often I do that to God. How many times have I thought I knew which way He wanted me to go, only to stop because I missed it? I giggled, realizing that in my attempts to train my dog how to follow, she was the one who taught me how to follow the Lord.

God has a path set before each of us. He knows where He wants us to go, but many times, in our excitement or busyness, we rush ahead of Him. We get so entangled with our agendas that we don’t stop long enough to listen to His voice.

Thankfully, there is good news. Even when we miss God’s direction, He waits for us to return to Him. And when we do, He brings us back onto the right path.

 Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

~1 Chronicles 16:11 ESV

Sheep follow a shepherd because they know there is safety in his care. If I proclaim Jesus as my Shepherd, why do I run ahead of Him? Like sheep, I place myself in danger when I leave the shepherd. I ask Jesus daily what His direction is and how I can best follow Him. Will you join me? That is where our safety is. And when we do this, we will hit the mark every time. We must learn to follow.

Think of ways to do a better job of following the Lord.

Heavenly Father, thank You that Your ways are perfect. Help me to follow my Shepherd, Jesus Christ. I desire to please You and follow the divine path You have designed for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2021: Learning to Follow: Sandra Stein: All Rights Reserved.