Crutches and Leash

I once observed a dog walking alongside its owner without a leash. When the owner walked quickly, the dog matched the pace to catch up. This is in contrast to my dog, Buddy. Despite being my companion for over seven years, I don’t trust Buddy to walk unleashed. Anytime he has the opportunity, he may attempt to run away. Even when I just arrive and open my garage door, Buddy, who sits in the car, tends to run away, requiring me to chase him. The only reliable way to ensure Buddy stays with me is by leashing him before opening the garage door, keeping him by my side the entire time.

In general, we often resist the idea of depending on or needing someone. The desire for independence, the ability to take care of our own affairs, is ingrained in us. Dependency is sometimes perceived as a sign of inferiority by others. In our spiritual lives, especially as Christians, there is a tendency to consider attending church once a week sufficient, restricting Bible reading to church, and reserving prayer for meals and bedtime.

However, I have found that when I start my day with prayer and reading the Bible, even if only for five minutes before being consumed by daily concerns, everything tends to go smoothly throughout the day. Similar to a little child depending on their Father, we experience peace and joy by relying on and communicating with God through His Holy Spirit. God guides our decisions, big or small, and makes difficult situations easier to bear. In moments of success, we attribute glory to God.

The analogy of being tightly connected to God as a leash is apt. Personally, I sometimes find myself wanting to run away from God and live according to my own agenda. Therefore, I recognize the need to be ‘leashed’ to my master, the Holy Spirit residing in me. This connection brings me peace and joy. My daily prayer echoes the sentiments expressed by David in Psalm 51:10, ‘Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Let us make a priority to start with God, read the Bible, and converse with Him throughout the day.
Try it! It will change our lives dramatically.

From Expert of my book, “Joyful Living to Leave a Legacy” Dr. Luna – Amazon, 2022