A Fence Called the Heart

My wife and I have had dogs almost all of our married life together. I remember when we first started talking to breeders about getting a dog. One question that was almost always asked was: “Do you have a fenced-in yard?”

Let’s face it, man’s best friend doesn’t always think before he acts. There are a myriad of things that can arouse a dog’s senses to the point the dog will take off without any thought of consequence or repercussion.  All it takes sometimes is a squirrel, another dog, cat, or whatever, to give chase. Without a fence to give protection and safety, a dog can easily find himself in trouble.

I recently acquired a cat. It’s a very long story, which I’ll tell someday. She is an outside cat, she stays in the garage at night, and yes, she does come inside for the winter. She has the freedom to roam our 5 acres and beyond if she chooses. She can come and go as she pleases. She can run away and hop a train to Texas if she wants to, there’s really nothing stopping her. She has no restrictions.

The funny thing is, Sis (my cat) over the course of a year now has NEVER been out of my voice range. She comes when I call her. I don’t think she’s ever been to the end of the 300 foot driveway. We have acres of woods behind our home, but Sis is always content to stay within a close radius. What keeps her so close? You can say she’s fed, taken care of, etc. It’s all true. But do you know what keeps her close? It’s her love for her master. It’s the connection she has in her heart for me. I’m the one that took her in as a stray at about 3 months old. I fed her, cared for her, gave her a home and a new lease on life. She has never forgotten that. She never will.

Similarly, it’s got to be our heart for the Lord that keeps us from straying from Him. Romans 5 verse 8 tells us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. The Lord has provided for us and loved us to the point of death. He has given you and I a new lease on life. Our relationship with God is not about do's and don’ts. If we’ll spend time reminding ourselves of our Master’s goodness and His great love for us, loving Him and following Him closely will be the natural course of our lives. It’s always got to be our love for Him that motivates us to follow.

Blessings!

Dan Owczarzak