“Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.” Psalm 25:4

Sled Dogs

Part 1

 Walk His Way Revisited
First Posted August, 2014

Our Lord is a creative teacher. He often uses the events of our lives to show us truth.

When I visited a sled dog training facility in Alaska, I was amused by the puppies undergoing early training to become part of the team. The trainers of these little fuzzballs would put them next to logs that were lying on the ground, help them to the top of the log, then let them tumble over the top and splat onto the dirt on the other side. The puppies loved it. They were being trained to go ahead even when they couldn’t see what was on the other side of the log, to be adventurous and fearless, and to do hard things. Other types of training would follow as the puppies grew larger and stronger.

Next, a few of the adult dogs were hitched to their harnesses on long lines with plenty of room between them. The trainer then sat on a heavy ATV that was attached to the team. The dogs were yipping and barking and jumping around, seeming not to pay attention at all, and suddenly they all exploded ahead, pulling that dead weight around a 2-mile dirt track. Although the trainer had on a microphone through which she had been talking to us, her command to go ahead was barely audible. The lead dog heard her, though. He was completely tuned in to the sound of her voice, and the instant he began to pull, they all leaned in and took off running and pulling as hard as they were able.

Their joy of obeying their master was apparent. They barked and yipped the whole way, as if encouraging each other. The lead dog was a study in concentration and strength. That team of dogs pulled the ATV across a shallow river and up the other side.

We heard the story of Susan Butcher, winner of several Idatarods. She acquired one dog as a sickly puppy, the runt of his litter. She gave him a strong name, Granite, and nursed him to strength. Though he was a scaredy-cat in the beginning, Susan began to know and train Granite’s capabilities, eventually making him her lead dog. He worked unimaginably hard, even through injuries and sickness, and loved his master. His eyes and ears were always towards her.

Jesus used parables in His teachings to show us things about ourselves and our lives. Tomorrow we will use the sled dogs as parables and take a look at some things they can teach us about our walk with the Lord.

Lord, open our hearts to see spiritual truth from the events of our lives, for You show us Yourself in all things. Speak to us; we are listening.