November 24, 2010

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-19

We are called to be disciples and the main thing disciples do is make other disciples!

Yesterday I wrote about my dog, Mulligan, who we recently had to put down. They say you can't teach on old dog new tricks, but my dog taught an old man some new truths. He demonstrated the traits that lead to being a disciple.

Mulligan loved me unconditionally. It is all he knew. He was always excited to see me whether I was gone for an hour or a week, he met me at the door with a wagging tail that shook his entire body.

I need to have that love for God. I must accept His unconditional love for me and express it to Him and to those He places in my life.

Mulligan lived to please me. When I was happy, he was happy. When he sensed my displeasure or when I raised my voice, he was upset. He found his joy in giving me joy.

I need to live to please God. That must be my driving force. To live for anything less is to disappoint Him and diminish me.

Mulligan was obedient. He did whatever I told him to do. He did it quickly and he did it gladly.

I need to be obedient to God. I must be immediate in my obedience and must find joy in obeying Him.

Mulligan loved to walk with me. The first thing I did in the morning was to get up and take him out for a walk. He loved it. He would trot to the door with his tail wagging and stand impatiently while I clicked the leash onto his collar. The last thing I did at night before going to bed was to take him for a walk. We spend hundreds of hours and walked hundreds of miles and loved every one of them.

I must walk with Jesus, every day. The first thing in the morning until the last thing at night, I must walk with Him and I should love it!

My dog Mulligan was a preacher's dog. But he was also a preacher teacher! I learned alot about discipleship by living with and loving him.