Puppies Waiting for Their Treat

Our children are doing a good job of training our new puppies. Not only are the puppies learning to fetch, but they are learning to SIT.

The children find that treat-giving time is a perfect opportunity to train the puppy to obey.
How our puppies love special little bits of ham or bacon fat or other tempting tidbits, and how we love to treat them!
But we use the treats to train.

I don't know about you, but I can't stand crazy, untrained, yappy, unhappy dogs whose owner yells and yells and kicks them and fusses at them and calls them names but can't get them to obey.

I do  like dogs who have been properly trained (without the kicks and yells) to listen to and love their owner.

Obedience takes training.
And training takes time.

Puppy training teaches us a lot about child training, and even about how God deals with us.
And I wish so  much that I could make this sound as good as John Piper or other popular bloggers, but I am just a simple mom with some simple thoughts and pictures.

Dog trainers train so their dog will have good, obedient, positive character and behavior.

Parents train so their children will learn obedience and good character. 

God trains and disciplines "for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness."
Even Christ "learned obedience through the things which He suffered."

 One of the big disciplines is learning to wait. That is so hard!

The puppy sees that piece of ham fat, and every instinct and every bone inside his body is telling him to jump for it!

But before long, he learns that he will NEVER get that treat if he jumps and runs and acts crazy.

He must obey the master's voice if he wants the ham.

He must set his royal little hiney down upon the ground and be still and wait.

And as soon as he is sufficiently still, as soon as he has submitted his will and is perfectly obedient--

here comes the ham sailing through the air!

 We know from God's Word, that He has wonderful things waiting for those who wait for Him.

"Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant?...Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon His God." (Isa. 50:10)

 "Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You,

Who acts for the one who waits for Him." (Isa. 64:4)

Lord, may our poor little efforts at teaching little puppy dogs to wait

remind us of Your desire for us to wait on You obediently,

wait in surrender, knowing that it is not just about giving up what we want,

but simply waiting on You to give us what You know is best for us,

what is good for us,

and what is delightful to us!

For we know your promise, "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."

God has more than bits of ham and puppy dog treats waiting for us.

He has eternal benefits that reward our waiting upon Him in whole-hearted obedience.