Divine Discipline

 “Rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Sam. 15:23).

Over the course of the day and evening yesterday, I had to deal with rebellion; mine and that of Nikos and Pan Dulce. For me, it was over honoring the Sabbath with a day of rest. I told the Lord on my rising that I would and yet I kept having things pop in my head that I needed to do so I would jump up and try to do them; emphasis on ‘try’. Each time an overwhelming sense of fatigue would wash over me and I would have to sit or lie down. No joke, this wasn’t me just procrastinating, I had no say or choice here. I HAD to rest. Having recently started a new part time job, my body was tired, not stressed – just plain bone weary tired. Wisdom said to rest, to renew my strength. The odd human urge said to sweep, put away the laundry and the clean dishes. God had to ‘make’ me rest when I attempted to go back on my promise to rest. If Nancy had not stopped by, I would have spent the entire day in my nightgown. Believe me; I seriously considered throwing on a pair of shorts under my nightgown when I knew she was headed my way. After she left, I crashed back down on the bed….me and the pups.

As for the pups, each one had their moments of rebellion, too. Nikos jumped off my bed with me telling him ‘no!’ the entire time. My bed is on risers making it too high for his tiny Chihuahua legs to make the jump without risk of injury. He doesn’t know that, of course, but he does know to stop when I say ‘no.’ He gave one quick look at me over his shoulder then made the leap! When I called him, he did stop and consider coming back to me, grudgingly. I stood my ground and called him by name; he tucked his tail and walked back as slowly as he could. I took hold of him, turned him over on his back on the floor and held him there while I spoke softly to him. I was not harsh, loud, ugly or hurtful to him. I simply reminded him I was his Alpha leader and I would not be ignored. Later in the evening, Pan refused to come inside when I was closing down the house for bedtime. Once again, I stood my ground and called his name quietly until he walked to me. I repeated the act of turning him over, pinning him gently to the ground and talking softly to him telling him I would not tolerate his rebellion.

As I held Pan down, it hit me that was exactly what God was doing to me every time He ‘made’ me lie down during the day. I was trying to do things my own way, even knowing I shouldn’t and He had to remind me He is my Alpha. He didn’t get rough with me, didn’t yell at me…just quietly showed me He was in control and my rebellion would not be tolerated. It was for my own good and protection, just as my actions were for Nikos and Pan. I thanked Him for loving me enough to make me do as I should and not as I would.

By the way, after my little reminder lessons for the pups, my next contact was to pick them up and love on them. They have stuck close to me ever since and this morning, Nikos came to me to put him down off the bed and waited by my feet until I walked ahead of them to open the back door so they could go out.

Maybe you are in a situation that boggles your mind and/or frustrates you no end. Perhaps it is just a godly ‘time out’ to help you pause so you don’t do something rash or too impulsive. Maybe taking time to seek your Alpha is the next step. This is an important time to consider who or what your Alpha may be. Do you turn to friends for advice? Do you push through in brute strength all alone? Self-help or self-improvement books and articles can tell you all sorts of ways to ‘make your life better’ but the fact that the ‘self’ is even in those should tell you something. You are looking to yourself as your Alpha. Really? Didn’t you do enough already? If God is not your Alpha, you’re on the wrong track from the get-go. We all get rebellious in one way or another from time to time. If you deny that you are fooling no one but yourself…ah, there it is again...‘self’.