"But I will restore you to health and heal you of your wounds, declares the Lord." Jeremiah 30:17
Our dog, Winston, has a sore paw! I first noticed him licking it a few days ago. Lick, lick, lick... he wouldn't stop. Pete and I got his work flashlight and started examining the paw to see if there was anything there. I saw two small areas that looked like they were blistered... but they were so tiny. No cuts, splinters, wild hairs or anything else but those two little areas. We sprayed him with some Dermaplast and he seemed to leave it alone... for a few hours!
By the next day, he seemed to be on a mad mission to lick his paw non-stop! I began wishing that we had one of those doggy cones ( the Elizabethan collar) to put around his head. My thought was...if he can't leave it alone... it will never heal! Then it started to turn raw and red from all that licking. Next, it was bleeding (not bad), but of course this instigated... MORE LICKING!
That second night, we gently (with three of the boys trying to hold him still) poured some peroxide on the foot. Bingo- by next morning it looked a lot better... until the licking started again. Last night... another peroxide treatment. As of today, I haven't noticed him bothering the paw. But, come to think of it... I haven't seen him in awhile....
Aren't we sometimes like our pets? Licking at our wounds and keeping them open and festering instead of allowing God to heal them? We pick at our scabs and re-open things that we shouldn't. All that leads to is pain and scars!!!
When you have a wound in your life, God can totally clean it out and heal it. We're the problem when we decide that we can't leave it alone. Or in denial, we ignore the wound all together. We stick a bandage over it and it continues to fester with infection.
Today I am praying for all of the lickers, pickers, and stickers out there that God's grace will be extended to you today. We need to learn that when God heals our brokenness or binds up our wounds, we are to leave the bandages on and soak in the oil of Gilead. He is the great physician! Let Him set you free today, no matter if it's a current wound or an old festering one. There's no wound worth coming between you and freedom in Christ. Wounds steal your peace and joy! He wants to see you free today. Who says an old dog can't learn a new trick??
Now where is that dog?????
