Many people have a vice in their lives that continues to get the best of them. It may be alcohol, smoking, gossip, or any number of things. For my dog Chevy, it is garbage.
No matter how hard my family tried, we could not get Chevy to stay out of the garbage. Every time we left him on his own, we would inevitably come home to find the kitchen a disaster. Food would be scattered throughout the house, and Chevy would be suspiciously missing from the scene of the crime. Although our trash can sat in the food pantry with the door closed, this opposable thumbless bandit would somehow open that door and feast on the contents within. To make matters worse, apparently “people-friendly food” doesn’t have the same effect as “dog-friendly food,” because it would magically reappear at three in the morning when Chevy started to gag. I have heard the best way to train a dog is to catch him in the act of his misbehavior so that he knows exactly why he is being punished, and I was determined to catch our rebellious canine red-handed! When the two of us had the house to ourselves, I casually informed him that I would be headed downstairs. Immediately after I shut the basement door I leaned forward to listen. Sure enough, I heard the condemning sound of claws tapping across hardwood floor and a crash coming from the direction of the pantry. “Aha! I have you now!” I yelled as I burst through the door. As Chevy bolted past me, I could see the over-turned trash can still rolling behind him.
I have heard people say, “If God would just show Himself to me I would believe!” I know that God is present everywhere at all times, but why does He choose to remain unseen physically? When I ask this question, I can’t help but think of the alternative. What would life be like if almighty God was physically visible all the time? How might I act? Perhaps I might act better out of fear! But what kind of life would this be? What kind of love could I give my Creator? Chevy never once got into the garbage while we were visible. It was not because he knew it was wrong; it was because he knew he would be caught. His true motives surfaced the minute we left the house. The honesty of our love and loyalty to God is revealed in the same way. Although He sees everything we do, God does not physically intimidate us into doing the right thing. He has told us the right way to live, because He knows the alternative will cause a sickness later on, and He entrusts us with the ability to choose. Just as an unseen parent is honored when a child is obedient on their own free will, so God is glorified when I desire to act with virtue.
“Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your Presence? Psalm 139:7
Mike Blackaby is 25 years old and is the college and young adult pastor at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro, GA. Mike loves to play music, loves to snowboard, play hockey, and cheers for the Colorado Avalanche. He is terrified of spiders, but loves reading fantasy novels, watching movies, taking road trips, building camp fires, and will do any roller coaster if someone goes with him. You can contact him via Facebook.