Temptation

She’s almost twelve years old now. In dog years that figures out to about 84. Dusty should know by now, that she doesn’t run off after deer. 

Now there was a period in her early years when she might chase off after anything that ran in the woods or field, and be gone for ten hours or more. A happy but exhausted dog would slink in, tail between her legs. She knew she’d been naughty but oh, it was so much fun.

Then we had an interlude of about 8 years where she might be tempted, might tentatively start to go, but then obeyed the call not to. We seem to be slipping into doggy dementia now, though, where she is once again happy to ignore the order and keep on running.

Mind you, at her age it’s pretty good that she can still keep on running. 

It’s hard to be mad at her when she comes back. She’s so satisfied and happily exhausted. And so right now she is lying near the fire, soaking wet above and below (where has she been?), at peace.

I guess I should take warning. I had those early years in my youth, when temptation often got the better of me. Then there has been an interlude where I’ve tried to behave myself and live as Jesus wants me to live. No major infractions so far, though plenty of minor ones.

But I’m certainly headed towards my latter years now, and I hope that Dusty’s increasing disobedience isn’t a harbinger of things to come for me, too. 

Help me, Lord, to run the long race in the same direction, not to veer to left or right but to keep my eyes fixed on you, planting my feet firmly in your footsteps. Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. Amen.