Hearing What We Want To Hear

Sometimes our dog absolutely refuses to come when called. Like the other day - I put him out before a thunderstorm, and tried to get him to come in before the heavens opened. But he was determined to take the scenic route, oblivious to the clouds.

It's so interesting that this happens not at mealtime, or at bedtime (when he gets to come sleep next to our bed) - but when he is wandering around the backyard, his nose to the ground, sniffing whatever dogs sniff at such times. I read that hunting dogs (of which he is part) literally have their ears shut off when their nose is engaged. And I believe it.

I'm convinced it's not that he doesn't WANT to listen ... it's just that there are so many interesting things to sniff. And in sniffing something, his ears get shut off to me.

Unfortunately I'm more like George than I like to admit. There are times I can't wait to hear from God - just like George loves when he hears his supper or when I tell him it's bedtime. At other times, though, I wander around sniffing - with my ears closed. Like George, I don't mean to ignore God ... but when I'm sniffing the dirt, my ears get shut off. How many times God must watch me wander around, taking the scenic route to Him, when all He wants is for me to come running before I get drenched!

Oh, for a heart that desires God more than the smell of any dirt! May we all see His beauty and find Him irresistable - and never be satisfied with anything less than the quickest, straightest path to Him.

“Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
-C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory