You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. …Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)
There’s nothing quite so sad as looking back at a dog sitting in the path no longer able to walk with you.
I like dogs. When I was around ten, I begged and begged for a dog until a friend of the family brought me a pup. I was so excited and grateful I named the dog after him which I realized later he considered a dubious honor. Ollie was my first walking dog, always ready to explore the woods with me as I discovered the wonders of nature. Since then, other dogs have come and gone, but they’ve always been walking companion dogs.
One, a cocker spaniel named Jody, started following after me when his puppy legs were so short he often needed to hitch a ride on my arm. He grew older and stronger until he was running circles around me as he scouted out the smells in the fields and hunted tortoises, the only “wild” animals he could catch. I always wondered how long it took the poor tortoises to walk home when Jody got tired of carrying them around or if the poor tortoises might simply decide to settle in a new home wherever they were dropped. I did read that tortoises often live for 50 years and sometimes as long as 100 years. So, I suppose they did have time to trek on back to their home territory if they wanted to do so.
Jody was a great walking dog. Always ready to go for a run, barking in his eagerness when we headed toward the fields and woods. He’d run out a ways and then run back to see what was taking me so long. He would also get very warm in the summer and run fast along the path until he reached a shade and then creep along until I caught up. Then Jody would leave the shade and hurry toward the next dark spot on the path.
But dogs get old faster than their human masters. One day when we went out walking, Jody was the one lagging behind and I was the one waiting for him to catch up. He started taking shortcuts across the field to meet me on down the trail. The tortoises no longer had to fear being relocated. And then the day came when we started out and he sat down in the path and stared at me with mournful eyes, no longer able to even pretend to keep up. His spirit was still eager, but his body was failing him.
The same thing happens to all of us as we age. We walk and run our circles in life until we can no longer move the way we wish or do the things we want to do. While we are able, we need to run the good race the Lord has set out before us, because one day we’ll be sitting on that path, our bodies old and frail, looking ahead at the Lord waiting for us on the path ahead. And praise God, He will not only wait for us, but come back down the path to help us finish our race and find our eternal home.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” ...2 Timothy 4:7 (NKJV)
What to you think it takes to fight the good fight the way Paul did, and keep walking down the path of faith?
Comments 12
I’m thinking of the hymn sung at my hometown church: Trust and Obey, and it speaks to this issue. I think it’s a daily trust.
I lost my Sweet Dog, Maya, and she, too, couldn’t do her daily walks and was so frail. Dogs teach us so much; she kept struggling to get up and try, even until the end. Her courage was remarkable, through the Diabetes and going blind, and I will always remember her incredible bravery.
Author
Maya sounds like she was the sweetest dog companion, Carolyn. So hard to lose those special furry friends. I’ve shed plenty of tears over the ones I’ve lost, and then I bring home a new furry friend. Dogs do teach us good life lessons. My dear Oscar, the dog I had before Frankie, did keep trying to walk with me so long that eventually I started sneaking away for my walks because I couldn’t stand watching him struggle to follow me. He was such a good dog. He died of bone cancer a few years ago.
We just sang that song, “Trust and Obey” at church a week ago. So many great old hymns that don’t get sung as much as they used to, but they have great messages in their words.
This is so beautiful, Ann! I love the Lord and He’s given me a special love for critters, especially dogs! I know the only way to run, and win, the race is to hold on to His hand and trust in Him in all things. Thank you for sharing this beautiful word picture. It blessed my heart more than you can know.
Author
I’m so pleased you enjoyed my 1st Sunday devotional. Walking with Jesus is the best way to navigate in this life with its joys and sorrows for sure. I do so appreciate you telling me that the post was a blessing to you. That makes me smile, Judi.
Words that a former pastor used to use from time to time and it seeped deep:
“There’s a lot of quitting places along the way but only one finishing place.”
I intend to finish well. I have my eyes set on the prize set before me…set on the
reunion that I know awaits me in Heaven with my family and best friend, gone
ahead of me.
My dog (chi/pappillion) is aging quick. He will be twelve this summer, I have had him for nine years…he’s always had health challenges. In every way, he’s aging and it hurts my heart. I know he won’t live as long as my past dogs at ages 15 and 16. I know it’s part of life, still it hurts.
Author
Thank you for sharing your pastor’s words, Loretta. May we all run that good race and fight the good fight and get to that finishing place with joy still alive in our hearts.
I hope your dog surprises you with some more good years. I’ve never had a dog that lived that long, but I usually have big dogs. Most have gone over the rainbow bridge at 10 or 11 but then my sweet Oscar who had bone cancer only made it to 7. I hated giving him up. Now I do have an English spaniel who isn’t as big a dog and I’m hoping for some more good years for him. He’s ten. Frankie is still a young dog at going on 4. But we do hate to lose them when the time comes.
Total Trust in the One who gave His life for us. My husband and I having turned 80 recent have both been struggling with the realization that our bodies aren’t able to accomplish as much or do what we did so easily just 10 years ago. A gradual decline so that we didn’t realize what we were unable to do until all of a sudden the thought would come to us that this isn’t as easy as it used to be or we hire it done. Frustrating and disappointing but inevitable. We do know Who Is holding our hands as we walk the pathway to our ultimate reward. Amen. 🙏🏻
Author
Total trust in the Lord. That’s a good attitude to have as we continue to add on the years, Karen. That’s a blessing because I enjoy life. I love watching my grandchildren begin to spread their wings and establish themselves. I’m happy that the Lord still gives me words to write, but although I’m not quite as old as you, I am getting to the age where things aren’t as easily done as they once were. Frankie is doing his best to keep me moving with his need for walks, though. So good to know whose holding your hands in this walk.
The older I get, the greater my desire to serve the Lord. As you pointed out, life is so brief and time passes so quickly. This dog story hit home in a huge way as I recently lost my 15 year old Patches in this very scenario. Walking in the woods, for what would be our last time, not realizing it of course, but midway through the walk, she sat down and was unable to make it home on her own. I know at this stage of my own life, I want it to count for Christ, and that fighting the good fight has now become more important to me than ever. I am focused on the relationship (not the works) and that has kept my walk going.
Author
I’m so sorry you lost your Patches. No matter how old our sweet doggie friends are we are never quite ready to see them head off over the Rainbow Bridge. I had a different dog than Jody that broke down like you say while he was out in the field. He was a big lab and we got him in the house but he never stood up again. So sad. Max, as I’m sure your Patches was, was a very good dog.
Your thoughts on fighting the good fight in your spiritual life were wise. So good to draw closer to the Lord throughout our lives.
To fight the good fight, We need to keep our eyes on Jesus, trusting in His love and faithfulness, receiving His strength and peace, always being thankful for His every blessing. How great and how good our Lord is!
Author
Beautiful words, Lauren. His strength, whatever our circumstances, is able.