The Dog Days ... Over?

The expression 'Dog Days' historically referred to the dog star Sirius which appeared during the hottest days when no doubt all creatures, including dogs, lay about lethargically. 'Dog Days' came to be associated with times of stagnation and seeming lack of success.

I never thought much about 'Dog Days' until returning from a dog sit and pondering why even this expected retreat had been difficult and seemingly with little success despite being a small venture. This thought was accompanied with the knowledge that I had been pet sitting on and off for a number of years and taking on bits of employment to make ends meet but never seeming to get ahead or be living out my passion.

I found myself wondering again where my life was headed with this seeming pattern of stagnation and difficulty occurring during even what I thought a basic dog sit. And then suddenly.. a song from Florence and the Machine was playing. 'The Dog Days are over' came flooding on my Youtube playlist spontaneously.. a song I had never quite really listened to before or knew. I was shocked to hear the artist singing about 'Dog Days' being over'! The timing and relevance was uncanny. I felt it was God speaking me through the lyrics. Could He be asking me to trust Him enough to leave the current pattern of my life to run in a new direction, to run with the horses so to speak.

(By the way, there is no coincidence in the running horse logo on my website. Horses had been a long standing symbol of freedom for me- both personally and prophetically).

Something new started that day when I heard this song. I felt God confirm this new beginning in a number of other ways too. I won't get into that here but I will say that this was the period when I began the 'Gold Flames' website and some other creative work that I presumed was well beyond my present skill and talent. Both ministries had nothing to do with making ends meet but I felt to simply begin, to start running, so to speak, in the direction of my passions and dreams.

I am presently still leaping of this cliff symbolically, daily trusting God with this new direction, even financially, without knowing the end of this story or even my next step.

When this personal turning point happened, I was inspired to write the following which seemed like a bit of revelation from Holy Spirit about what the end of dog days could mean for any person. There are connections to scripture too that I felt God highlighting.

I must admit that I have not fully come through the 'Dog Days' to the place where I have experienced an obvious clear and glorious turn around. Yet I feel I have begun to move with the horses (though slowly) which must be better than when I played it safe but stagnant.

Humour me to read the rest if this is speaking to you, maybe it will provide some revelation and inspiration too. :)

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Matthew 15:26-28

24 Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”

25 But she came and worshiped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!”

26 Jesus responded, “It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

27 She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their masters’ table.”

28 “Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” And her daughter was instantly healed.

Could the dog days be done with, the days where you begged for scraps and whatever you could get your paws on?

Perhaps you weren’t begging in a obvious sense yet everything revolved around bread making ($) and trying to get ahead. Maybe you made some headway and experienced some success, even great success, but wondered about the satisfaction of the journey, the means or the end?

Think about the dogs you see around and about you today. Probably most you know of are well cared for and not needing to scrounge for food or a bed?

Do you have greater expectation or a sense of security than a dog or perhaps even a wild bird who seems to find food enough even in winter? Who or what is the source of your provision? Who's the master of your life?

Is your provision coming from an earthly source that may dry up or a higher place?

Jesus’ response to the woman in the passage gives us a sampling of something greater ahead than mere crumbs and scraps. In granting the request of a non Jew, He foreshadows an invitation to a kind of food or daresay, a feast, this will be available to all! If this wasn't an open invite, He would not have healed this woman’s daughter.

Also worth noting:

Something about Jesus enabled a Samaritan outsider and a woman,

to have the boldness to make this audacious request

This wasn’t the first time Jesus associated with someone outside the Jewish race, offering the bread and drink of life, an invitation to partake of Him. He provided this miracle despite the confusion and displeasure of his closest friends, let alone opinion of any Jewish person. Jesus was catapulting off the traditional grid of people's expectations and rearranging the rules even before sending Paul (post Jesus' death & resurrection) to reveal the Good News to the Gentiles.

In another instance, Jesus approached a Samaritan woman asking her

for a drink of water. The Samaritans were considered half-breeds. They were the offspring of Jews intermarrying with foreigners. God had forbidden this intermarriage to prevent the Jews from falling away from Him to worship other gods. Jews naturally looked upon Samaritans with distaste, perhaps so much so, that dogs held greater value. The fact that Jesus was speaking to a woman provided greater stupification, confounding even the woman herself. Women were valued as property and held a second rate status. Jesus provided another avalanche to the expectations of his day when he proceeded to the Samaritan village where he remained for two days.

While the position of the Jews would be to stand in disgust from afar, Jesus moved ahead in love and compassion to meet hungry hearts no matter how it looked.

And many in that village came to believe!

Unworthy associations deepened the anger of the Pharisees and ultimately their interest to see Jesus permanently knocked down. As the religious authority, the Pharisees could not uncurl their fingers from their grasp of the old covenant and way of thinking. Straining to obey the law, they even created additional rules to help keep the original ones.

The Pharisees overlooked the heartbeat of God.

They watched and waited to see if Jesus would stay within their lines.

How could Christ’s redemptive love to save humankind be under such restraint?

Jesus was drawing from a different well than the rest. He was releasing the aroma of a sweet revolution. He was sampling a new covenant, unprecedented, that included everyone!

So who’s your Master? Who’s your Daddy?

Jesus’ encounters with those deemed unsavoury initiated something formerly unseen and unimagined. I’m not just talking about Jesus' ability to provide literal food and drink (though he was certainly able to multiply the fish and loaves for people to eat!). This is much bigger. Abundant life, a life that includes healing and all the provision a person could ever need is the currency and it's a free gift!

Jesus performed this miracle for a Samaritan woman and every other outcast of his day that approached, not to mention the many Jews and throngs of people that followed him around.

What does He have for you?

Considering Jesus had a hand in creating us and at the same time, lived and died as one of us, it would seem there would be no one better equipped to know our needs and at the same time, fulfill them as God. Jesus IS our provision.

To Struggle or Beg?

Perhaps we need only hear this message and it will awaken a faith that will enable us to boldly approach and believe Christ, believe in His words and all He is able to give and provide for us?

Perhaps Jesus is able to bring a greater provision and abundance than we ever thought possible, wildly surpassing the days where we scratched out an existence and pecked at the ground? Maybe you just made ends meet or perhaps went well beyond, yet either way, it's been entirely on your shoulders to sustain, maintain.

There must be more in this life than the old pattern of the world and way of doing things, if we are to take Jesus at His word.

Even prior to His death and resurrection, Jesus provided for the scorned, freely giving healing and wholeness. He opened Himself up on the cross as bread and drink for every person.

I believe Jesus is total provision for every person. Jesus is our life force. The total sum of our needs- everything we could ever want, need or imagine- is in Christ.

I'm on this journey too, discovering what Jesus as my provision, actually means tangibly for my own life- even when I follow Him in a direction that may seem irrational to the onlooker.

I will keep you posted in future musings.

In the meantime, blessing you in your journey and all God has for you :)

I believe it's greater than you can think or imagine... ready, set...