Scoot Over

"That's fine if you want to lay with me, but this is my spot."  Molly, one of my three dogs, was circling the spot that I had just readied for myself to settle in this morning.  I'll confess that we let all three dogs sleep with us.  When they hear, "let's go to bed", they race upstairs and try to get a spot on the bed.  I make them move until I have my spot and then let them snuggle up to me.  The puppies want to touch me when they sleep with just a shoulder or a hip. If I shift position so there are just a few inches separating us, they will scoot over until they are touching me. I've  learned that they each gain 100 pounds once they are asleep and are near impossible to move while sleeping. So I get settled first.

In Deuteronomy 29:2-15, Moses summoned the Israelites and reminded them that God did miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt and during the 40 years in the desert.  During their journey their clothes and shoes never worn out.  He provided them food and drink.  God did it so that they would learn that He was The Lord God. When they approached the Promised Land and the end of the journey from Egypt, God reminds them that "we" defeated the Kings of Heshbon and Og to begin the distribution of the land to the tribes of Israel.  He also reminds them, again, to carefully follow the terms of the covenant, the covenant that God is making and sealing with an oath to be their God.

I am convinced by these verses that the best way to get ahead in life is God's way, which is the opposite of the world's way.  The world tells us to make our own plan to take and thus we will prosper.  Every night Mickey tries to claim my pillow and every night I tell him, "this is my spot." (Plan, take, maybe prosper.)

God's way is, first, to learn to lean on Him for our daily life. He will invite us to participate in His plan and then we will prosper. The world's way is all about Me but God's way is about "we."  (Lean, participate, definitely prosper.)

I provide the food and water for the three dogs. In this bitter cold, I make sure their feet don't get too cold outside.  Then I invite them to join me in rest.  They know the "rule" is to stay in bed, it's not play time or time to find mischief. Once they have done the six or seven turnarounds to prepare their spot, they are settled for the night.  If I move in the night and perhaps there is space between us, they scoot to me.

For me to prosper in life God's way, I need to follow His rules.  When He invites me to participate in His mission, I want  to be like Mickey and Molly when they hear the words, "let's go to bed" and race proudly upstairs.  But I also want to be like them when they feel a bit of separation they move toward me.  When I feel a bit separate from God, I need to scoot over to feel His touch.

I'm not going to lean on my own plans to succeed because I've learned I'm not reliable. I'm learning to lean on the One who promises and delivers. I'm scooting over to the Sure Thing.