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Training Baxter
Read: Psalm 143:8-10; Titus 2:11-14Austin’s black Labrador tilted his head to one side and lifted his front paw. “No, not shake! Lie down! Can’t you learn anything?” Austin sighed. “Let’s try something else. Fetch, Baxter! Fetch!” Austin hurled a ball across the yard, and Baxter raced after it. Before it dropped to the ground, Baxter leaped into the air and caught it in his mouth. “Wow! Good dog!” Austin called, clapping his hands. “Now bring it here, Baxter!”Baxter’s wagging tail stopped and pointed into the air. He perked his ears and stared at the other side of the yard. Then he dropped the ball and dashed after a squirrel. “This is hopeless,” Austin said, letting himself drop to the ground.“What’s hopeless?” asked Austin’s older sister, Makenna. She sat on the grass next to him.“I’m trying to train Baxter. I’ve been trying to teach him how to sit and shake and lie down and fetch, but I’m about ready to give up. Sometimes it seems like he’s getting the hang of it, then, out of the blue, he runs off and chases a squirrel or something.”“Baxter’s a hunting dog, so it’s in his nature to do that,” said Makenna. She glanced at her brother. “Kind of like it’s in our nature to do the wrong thing sometimes. That’s what Pastor Pham’s sermon was about, remember?”“Yeah, thanks for the reminder,” Austin said, thinking of something mean he’d said to Makenna the day before. He hoped God didn’t give up on him as easily as he gave up on Baxter. “Do you suppose God thinks we’re hopeless?” he asked.“Of course not,” said Makenna. “When we were hopelessly lost in sin, God sent Jesus to save us! He promises to train us and make us grow to be more like Jesus by helping us understand and obey what He says in the Bible. And though there will be many times when we wander away from Him and do something wrong—like Baxter going after those squirrels—He never gives up on us and will always forgive us.”Something pawed at Austin’s back. He turned to find Baxter holding the ball in his mouth. Austin smiled and patted Baxter’s head. “Want to try again?” He threw the ball, and Baxter bounced away after it.–Debra VanDykeHow about you? Do you feel like a hopeless case—like you’ll never be able to stop doing things that are wrong? Struggling against sin is part of every Christian’s life, but don’t give up on yourself, because God never will! He sent Jesus to save you from sin and will always forgive you, no matter how many times you do something wrong. Trust Him to train you and make you more like Him—He is all the hope you need.Today's key verse: Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10 (CSB)Today's key thought: God trains Christians
Read: Psalm 143:8-10; Titus 2:11-14
Austin’s black Labrador tilted his head to one side and lifted his front paw. “No, not shake! Lie down! Can’t you learn anything?” Austin sighed. “Let’s try something else. Fetch, Baxter! Fetch!” Austin hurled a ball across the yard, and Baxter raced after it. Before it dropped to the ground, Baxter leaped into the air and caught it in his mouth. “Wow! Good dog!” Austin called, clapping his hands. “Now bring it here, Baxter!”
Baxter’s wagging tail stopped and pointed into the air. He perked his ears and stared at the other side of the yard. Then he dropped the ball and dashed after a squirrel. “This is hopeless,” Austin said, letting himself drop to the ground.
“What’s hopeless?” asked Austin’s older sister, Makenna. She sat on the grass next to him.
“I’m trying to train Baxter. I’ve been trying to teach him how to sit and shake and lie down and fetch, but I’m about ready to give up. Sometimes it seems like he’s getting the hang of it, then, out of the blue, he runs off and chases a squirrel or something.”
“Baxter’s a hunting dog, so it’s in his nature to do that,” said Makenna. She glanced at her brother. “Kind of like it’s in our nature to do the wrong thing sometimes. That’s what Pastor Pham’s sermon was about, remember?”
“Yeah, thanks for the reminder,” Austin said, thinking of something mean he’d said to Makenna the day before. He hoped God didn’t give up on him as easily as he gave up on Baxter. “Do you suppose God thinks we’re hopeless?” he asked.
“Of course not,” said Makenna. “When we were hopelessly lost in sin, God sent Jesus to save us! He promises to train us and make us grow to be more like Jesus by helping us understand and obey what He says in the Bible. And though there will be many times when we wander away from Him and do something wrong—like Baxter going after those squirrels—He never gives up on us and will always forgive us.”
Something pawed at Austin’s back. He turned to find Baxter holding the ball in his mouth. Austin smiled and patted Baxter’s head. “Want to try again?” He threw the ball, and Baxter bounced away after it.
–Debra VanDyke
How about you? Do you feel like a hopeless case—like you’ll never be able to stop doing things that are wrong? Struggling against sin is part of every Christian’s life, but don’t give up on yourself, because God never will! He sent Jesus to save you from sin and will always forgive you, no matter how many times you do something wrong. Trust Him to train you and make you more like Him—He is all the hope you need.
Today’s key verse: Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10 (CSB)
Today’s key thought: God trains Christians
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