Let me tell you about bodacious Babe and Star the wonder dog!
Hi, I'm Joni Eareckson Tada, and don’t panic, I haven’t lost my mind. Let me explain: my husband's friend, Jan Janura, has two wonderful yellow Labrador retrievers, Star and Babe. They are topnotch retrievers who absolutely love to go hunting with Jan and Ken. Show them a lake? They take a diving leap. Throw them a Frisbee? They can’t wait to catch it, they are so excited. Let a bird cross their path; it is ears up and at 'em. These dogs are serious retrievers. Not long ago, Ken was telling me about the recent hunting trip he went on with Jan, and as Jan and Ken were packing up there at the house as soon as those two dogs saw the Jeep packed up with camping gear, oh my goodness – it was all they could do to restrain those two retrievers. Eager, happy dogs, they were! These two knew where they were going. They knew what they were going to do, and they couldn't wait to get where they knew they were heading. All the way up to the high desert where they went to a pheasant farm… all the way up the freeway, Babe and Star would whine from their cage in the back. And when they turned into that pheasant farm, those two dogs were rattling their cage – they recognized the fun ahead!
Friend, it is no mistake that God gives us animals as object lessons. Everything God gives us points to some lesson, some characteristic about the Lord, some special thing He wants to show us, right? With God, everything is a metaphor. Everything is a symbol of something more grand. And when He created Labrador retrievers, I think He must have been smiling – He gave us these beautiful, intelligent, willing and happy dogs to show us, teach us, and remind us of all that we can learn from them, because as eager as Star and Babe were to arrive at their destination, I have to ask… I ask, are we at eager to get where we are heading?
Philippians chapter 3 tells us that we are citizens of heaven and, as such, we wait eagerly for a Savior from beyond this world. And I love that adverb, ‘eagerly’ (remember, the Holy Spirit when He inspired the writing of God's Word, had a good reason for every adjective and adverb). And that word ‘eagerly’ tells us that because we’ve been given citizenship in heaven that is a huge thing. What a destination! And we should be so excited about the return of our Savior, that we’re straining at the leash... rattling the cage. And what do citizens of heaven do as we wait for His return – why, get ready for heaven! And how do you get ready? Well, heaven is a holy habitation prepared for holy people, so be holy as Jesus is holy. It means lying aside, getting yourself free from every sin that hinders. Dumping old habits and starting new ones (that’s a good reminder as we look to a New Year).
I know I’m looking forward to that wonderful day. Being in this wheelchair for so long as I’ve been, I'm ready to trade in this old body for my brand new one. Better yet, I'm ready to trade in my heart for a new one – can’t wait for that day when sin and sorrow, sighing and all suffering will be behind me. Now I know enough that, yes, there’s still much work to do; and I'm happy to be on earth for as long as God intends, but like Star and Babe my heart is eager. My heart is panting. And it’s why I love Philippians chapter 3 verse 20. I know where I'm going and I can’t wait to get there. Heaven is really that wonderful; Jesus is really that awesome, so today get eager!
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91376
© Joni and Friends