Me - a ground hog?

"Bark, bark, bark, ---hooooowl!" The beagle was screaming his distress from the leash in the backyard. I glanced out the window to see him standing in full strain, the weight of the tire swing pulled taunt as he yanked it forward.

"What's up, boy?" I started to yell to him when something behind me moved on the deck outside the side window. I swung around in my seat and there sat a young ground hog on my back deck. He wasn't on the edge of the deck near the yard. No, he was completely committed to entering my territory and was apparently trying to figure out how to open the porch door. I was almost expecting to see his little paw scratch his chin in thought he was studying it so intently.

I popped open the window and scolded him thinking it would startle him and he would have enough sense to run off into the brush or field. He was not to be startled so easily and he turned away with ease and looked right up at the me as if to say, ""Yes? Are you speaking to me?" I shooed at him, and he was obviously unimpressed with my technique. He slowly mozied around to the other side of the deck. All the while Copper is not barking but still pulling, "Let me at him, let me at him, let me at him, pleeeease!" I opened up the window near where he now sat and proceeded to scold him from there. I can't say whether I amused him or confused him. He just sat up looking at me. I was becoming increasingly irritated with this animal that didn't seem to realize that I was in charge here!

So I grabbed a broom and headed out the door after him. This time he did scurry away in proper fear, all of about 4 feet ahead of me! I walked toward him and shooed with the broom. He ran another 4 or 5 feet and stopped. I shooed again and we continued this awkward little dance across the yard and into the brush he has apparently taken up residence within.

Satisfied that he was gone, far enough anyway, I headed back into the house when Copper started the beagle trumpet war cry once more. I turned around and there sat the little brat on the edge of my garden and, literally mind you, just out of Copper's reach. It was as if that thing had measured it ahead of time and knew exactly where to draw the line.

That little ground hog had no idea the danger he was in if the leash snapped or pulled loose from the knot it was tangled in. The dog had tangled himself around the base of something and could not get as far as he normally would have. He also didn't realize that if my hand had landed on a shovel instead of a broom he just might be a dead little ground hog.

I got to thinking about this little incidence though and (if you will pardon the animal to human comparison) I couldn't help think about how often a friend, one of my children, my husband or I have been the ground hog. You know? wandering onto some unfamiliar place or a place I've seen from the distance, but now I decide to go check it out. It looks safe enough, the boards are sturdy and there isn't any obvious safety issues. So I might look around and decide to try to go a little deeper into this new place by messing with the doors. It doesn't seem dangerous to me and even when the warning of danger starts barking at me, that seems far enough off that it's not any real threat. Then a window pops opens somewhere and someone or something starts shooing at me or warning me. Even then it doesn't seem so bad. After all the warning is still behind the window.

then the door opens and the real threat comes rushing at me and for a minute I really do startle and take off, but in my retreat I realize that the weapon didn't seem too threatening. So I stop and look back. The threat has stopped also so I wait. It runs at me and I ,run a little closer to home, but still I stop and wait playing around in the nice yard. All the while the warning bark is howling aloud. Finally I run home to safety only to venture right back out and sit right on the line of danger, almost daring something to happen.

Perhaps you've never been so bold with sin. How I wish I could say I have not either! Because there are times when in my foolishness the door I was playing with swung open and what I anticipated to be interesting or fun ended up in pain and disappointment. The protection of the window was no real protection at all. The shovel came down upon my head. The line came undone and the dog was able to reach.

All of this to say that often we are tempted to venture beyond the area God gives to us. The place beyond may look safe enough and feel ok when we set foot on it, and then the truth of what is there runs after us, or the leash is not tangled and the temptation is able to grab us and bite us and wound us.

Therefore, submit yourselves to God; resist the devil and he must flee. Most believers who have been around for more than a month or two learn or at least have heard James 4:7. I have heard the last part preached and taught and encouraged. And that is good, we should resist, but it must start with submitting yourself to God. If we will not submit to God and stay within the fence he establishes, well, is resisting even option? Yes, but it's a whole lot harder standing where the broom's getting ready to pound you in the head. Staying within God's boundaries is not being dogmatic; it is not being legalistic; it is not being a party pooper. It is wisdom. It is worth any perceived sacrifice of whatever, for it is life and protection and being near to Him. It is for our good and our blessing.