Every homeowner has a "to do" list. We also have a "tried to do" list. At the top of the list is the door to our main bathroom. My husband is great at fixing things, but no matter what he does, this door will not stay open. As soon as you go in the door, it starts swinging shut.
To compound the problem, the door doesn't stay latched when it's closed. That means if a determined dog (we'll call her "Daisy" since that is her name) wants to get into the bathroom, she can. All she has to do is push the door hard enough, and she's in.
Now you may be thinking, "Why would she want to be in the bathroom?" If you have the answer, please let me know, because I have no idea. (The lid is always down so there's no drinking water available. That would be too obvious.)
All I know is the two factors, Daisy's ability to push the door open and the door's tendency to swing shut, work together to trap her in the bathroom. Now, she has NEVER burst into the bathroom when someone is home; it always happens when we're out. She doesn't make a mess while she's in there, but spending a long period of time in a small room gives me a bathroom that smells like dog.
God often uses Daisy as an illustration applicable to my life, and her tendency to get trapped in the bathroom was no exception. As I was thinking, "Daisy, will you ever learn?", I realized God could say the same thing to me: "Lisa, will you ever learn?"
Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:29
Jesus wants what's best for us, but we have to choose to learn from Him rather than continuing to do things our own way and ending up in the same old trap.
Initially, I checked to make sure the door was latched so that she wouldn't trap herself. That's when we learned she could force the door open. Now I try to remember to prop the door open when we leave so that when she inevitably goes in there, she can also get out. Unfortunately, with all the things to remember when trying to leave the house, propping the bathroom door open doesn't always make the short list.
Such was the case one weekend when my husband and I were headed out to the boardwalk in Grand Haven. We were maybe a half mile from home when Bob realized he forgot his sunglasses, so we turned around and went back home to get them. I went into the house to make sure the bathroom door was propped open, and she was already trapped in there! We hadn't even been gone for five minutes! Daisy would've had one long, boring evening in a very small room if we hadn't come back home for those sunglasses.
One would think that a dog who has moments of intelligence would learn after one or two (or twenty or fifty) times being trapped, that busting into the bathroom is not a good idea. Not Daisy. It happens over and over again.
God often uses Daisy as an illustration applicable to my life, and her tendency to get trapped in the bathroom was no exception. As I was thinking, "Daisy, will you ever learn?", I realized God could say the same thing to me: "Lisa, will you ever learn?"
How often do we ask God to "prop the door open" so we can do what we want without any consequences? How often to we ignore His teachings because we think we know better, only to find ourselves falling into a trap we've been in before?
Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:29
Jesus wants what's best for us, but we have to choose to learn from Him rather than continuing to do things our own way and ending up in the same old trap.
"Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up." James 4:10
Jesus, I want to find that place of rest that You have promised. Help me to slow down and learn to do things Your way so that I can experience the freedom that comes only from You.
Lisa
Lisa
another great analogy! I could use some help carrying my yoke today, moving &very sick. Lord give me strength!
Lisa, this is a great lesson. Thanks for sharing it.