Series: Dawg Daze
2 Corinthians 4:7-12, Focus on: 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 MSG
Why Dawg or Dog?
I would like to be able to say the title of the series was simple a creative way to catch attention, but that wasn’t really the intent.
The truth is, I am a dog kind of person. Fido IS my best friend. At one time years and years ago I also had a cat. Now, I wasn’t raised with a cat. When I was growing up my Mom had a rule about animals. The rule was, no cats, no rodents, no no no reptiles, and no strange creatures. Her rule meant we were allowed to have a dog.
One dog.
One small dog.
Preferable one small dog that did not shed or bark a lot.
As a result, my dog growing up was a miniature poodle. His name was Smokey and my dad trained him not to bark a lot. Smokey was allowed to bark once or twice to alert us when someone was at the door, but that was about it.
He did not shed, he was very smart, and he definitely minded my dad.
It’s also important to note that my dad was a Sunday School teacher for decades and he spent a good portion of his days studying for his weekly lesson.
As he studied, Smokey sat dutifully beside him.
I think some of that rubbed off on Smokey. I know that’s a stretch, but Smokey did take on many characteristics of my dad.
2 Corinthians 4:7-12 tells us, “If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. (8) We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!”
In the same way as Smokey taking on characteristics of his master, I do not remember a time when the message of Christ was not IN me. For as long as I can remember every Saturday night we bathed, laid out our clothes for church, woke up on Sunday morning, got dressed and went to church.
Sunday School was mandatory but we didn’t think of it as a sentence. It was a fun event and I was glad to go. My people (friends) were there.
Gradually, ever so gradually when it was age appropriate I learned the truth about what Jesus did for me.
Because of that the message of Christ is deeply embedded in me. At home we talked a lot about Jesus. I always asked my dad questions about God, Jesus, and my Bible.
Come rain or shine, snow or scorching heat, we went to church every Sunday morning. The interesting thing to note here is that I do not remember the rain.
I do not remember the snow and my cute warm coat (but I’ve seen pictures).
I don’t even remember the ice (because I wasn’t driving!)
What I do remember about summer in Kansas City is the awful dreadful humidity!
Because of the awful humidity from July through most of September those days were not simply “dog” days, they were “dawg” days.
To be more precise they were daaaawg days.
Even when I was a child if I could have slept from July 15 through September 15 I would have gladly made that choice.
What I learned through the years is that even though dawg days were troubling and sometimeslt even terrorizing because of the awful biting mosquitoes and the creepy spiders God did not leave my side.
The dawg days may have tried to throw me down but I wasn’t broken.
Indeed as an adult, through years of serving in ministry in many places and in various churches, I was reminded that no matter what comes, Jesus will be there.
Jesus who was mocked, tortured, tried, and murdered overcame all of it so that we might have life.
Of course, as a child while we studied about what Jesus did for us, it was learned through a lens of soft pictures and catchy tunes. We sang “Jesus Loves Me” but we didn’t really think about the cost He paid for that love.
The truth is that Jesus knew dawg days when he was betrayed, arrested, beaten, and convicted to die a cruel death. Even though he came and brought good, he was repaid with evil intent. He knew that, but he also knew why He came.
As awful as the most horrific dawg daze were for Jesus, He knew what Sunday morning would bring.
He knew He would get up and get dressed to go see His friends who He loved.
Spiritual Practice: Bad to Good
What do you despise? What good co es from it? Remember there is ALWAYS good.
In God, Deborah
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