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The Walk

15. June, 2001ArticlesNo comments

Not too long ago I attended a dog show with some friends in Perry, Ga. Scheduled at this show was an “agility trial” for dogs that have been trained for this type of event. According to the official regulations, the purpose of the agility trials is to “afford the owners the opportunity to demonstrate a dog’s willingness to work with its handler under a variety of conditions”

I decided to watch the trials with hopes of learning something. The first thing I noticed was each handler walking the grounds as if the obstacle course had already been setup on the field. This was known as a walk-thru and was such a strange sight to me. Take a moment to visualize a group of people walking on an empty field in a set pattern. Once each person felt confident with the walk they would exit the field.

Next, it was time for the actual event. The obstacle course had been setup and the handlers were confident with what they had to do. As each dog went through the course guided by the handler, I began to see how the Holy Spirit guides our lives each day.

As the handler ran the course with the dog, I would hear him tell the dog which way to go and most of the time the dog would obey the command. Sometimes if a particular path seemed too difficult, a few dogs would abort it all together. Some would abort that one obstacle and go to the next. But others would keep right on going with the coaching of the handler. Everyone cheered when the dog made it to the end. Can you hear our cloud of witnesses cheering us on?

How often have we missed out on where we were supposed to go because we did not listen? Everyday the Holy Spirit is guiding us and coaching us because He already knows the course set before us. I can almost picture Him saying, “Go this way “ or “Talk to that person” or “Don’t go that direction”. Why is it so difficult for us to listen? Our path becomes much more difficult when we begin to listen to everything and everyone but the Holy Spirit.

Ponder the following 4 questions:

1. How many ideas have you had and never followed through with?
2. How many times have you aborted an idea because it seemed too difficult at the time?
3. How many places did you not go because you did not want to go alone?
4. How often were you on the right path but someone convinced you to take a different route? GAL 5:7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. (NIV)

It’s not too late to get back on track. The obstacle course is still there but it’s nice to know we have someone guiding us through it.

As I have heard it said so many times do not let what God has for you end up in the graveyard. The cemetery is filled with visions, dreams, gifts and talents. Don’t let yours become a part of that.

Learn to listen and obey to what the Holy Spirit is telling you to do. He has already walked the course. He knows what obstacles are in place for us. Allow Him to guide us through them, over them or completely away from them.

Remember what 2 Timothy 4:7 says.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing. (NIV)

Will you be able to say this at the end of your course?

COPYRIGHT — This issue of Nikao News Online is Copyrighted June 2001. However, permission is granted to freely redistribute these materials.

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