Running

Exploding from the fence line she ran as fast as she could. Stretching her body to its full length the ground disappeared beneath her feet. She was a streak of color as she flew past them on their way toward where she had started. The man and horse twirled and raced back the way they had come--paralleling her.

Passing her, they pulled ahead as they reached the creek, turning to follow it. She slowed long enough to slither under the fence and through the creek before she gave chase to the disappearing horse hooves. Catching them once again the horse and rider ran full tilt with the dog rushing along at their side as they wove through the bridle path of the woods, and back into open pasture once more.

Turning toward the barn, they virtually sailed over the ground, pulling up only once they entered the paddock of the barn. The man leapt from the horse, opening a gate as the horse and dog trotted side by side into the corral with the man closing the gate behind them.

The horse stood blowing as his sides heaved from the effort of the run. The dog threw herself to the ground, panting hard. The man reached up to rub the horse's neck and ears, whispering words of praise for his performance. She stood and pranced toward the man expecting his praise and pets--as a lead rope clipped into place on her collar.

Walking the horse in the corral as he cooled, the man tied the rope he attached to her collar to a post, leaving her behind. As the horse cooled, he moved into a stall with sweet feed. Once the man finished ministering to the needs of the horse, and only then did he turn to the dog. "Dita, you have got to stop going through the fence into the neighbor's property. You are going to get hurt or lost! You scared me girl!"

He untied the rope from the fence post and walked her toward their home. Passing through various gates she could hear the tones of worry, frustration, and disappointment in his voice. Arriving back at the house, he led her up to the enclosed deck and called to his wife, telling her of "Dita's latest exploit." Mom brought her into the house.

She didn't understand what the big deal was. She wanted to go for a run, found a gate unlatched, and pushed her way through. When she saw the man and horse racing beside her and then turning off, she followed and ran at their side--paralleling their path. What was the big deal?

So often in life we see an opening and without thought--without prayer--we push our way through and race not knowing where it leads or what lies ahead. When God turns a different way, we may follow and even run alongside God, but without thought, prayer, and meditation--running simply because it feels good at the moment. Sometimes we circle back to where we started . . . sometimes we find ourselves very far from where we need to be . . . and sometimes we lose our way.

The ways of God are not always that we get what we want--wealth or fame or approval from others. Sometimes the ways of God may seem hard or constrained. Yet following the ways of God opens us to new awareness, compassion, and depth of understanding. To some the path may seem narrow, yet the ways of God leads us to love beyond compare and life that we could never have imagined.

God of love, teach us to follow your ways. Give us hearts that see others as you see do--people of worth and value. Teach us to run--at your side. Open us to your sacrificial love--lead us in your paths. So be it. Amen.