Gospel Illustration 4

We all know that sometimes I march to a little different drummer.  As Cowboy Ken was teaching the children in Vacation Bible School my mind was flying in different directions.  I should have had pen and paper to coral my thoughts (pun intended).

Yesterday I wrote about the dodgers or dogies that try to run away.  When the cowboy goes after them he tries to “head them off at the pass”.  They do this in order to drive them back to the herd.  When we get out away from the herd we can get into all kinds of trouble.  We can fall off the side of a cliff and find ourselves injured at the bottom of a deep canyon.  There we are until someone comes to our rescue.  Look at Matthew 18:13, “And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.”

If the dogie is too stubborn to be driven back then the cowboy has a rope that he can use to lasso the dodger with and tie him up and bring him back.  Sometimes I wish God would do this for us.  In His love for us He has given us a will of our own to exercise.  Sometimes we exercise our will in the wrong ways.  Then the cowboys come after us.  We can go peaceful like or we can go kicking and screaming like a dogie sometimes will go.  God will never force us into a decision; but, He will definitely make it uncomfortable for us until we are back with the herd.

So, how are you doing?

Gospel Illustration 3

Today I would like to just share some thoughts from “Cowboy Ken” as he taught in Vacation Bible School.  One thing that caught my attention was what a dogie (pronounced do – gee) is.  These are the calves and cows that dart out of line while the heard is being moved.  The more I think about it the more I seem to compare this to the Church.

As the cattle are being moved they for a line and the cowboys ride along in front, behind and on both sides.  This makes me think of the Pastor and the Deacons of the Church.  The Pastor leads “the herd” from the front as he follows God.  Then the Deacons bring up the sides and the rear.  These Deacons go after the “dodgers” or “dogies”; which is where we get the term dogie.  There are people that are in the Church; but, want to get out most of the time.  They just want enough Church to hopefully ensure they make it into Heaven.

While the cattle are walking together in a line occasionally one of these dogies shoots out to the left or right.  Off goes the cowboy on his faithful steed after this deserter.  This should be how the Deacons and other Church members as well as the Pastor work.  When someone darts out of the Church we need to go after them and let them know they are loved and then let them and the Holy Spirit make the decision whether to come back to the herd.  Look at Matthew 18:12, “How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?”  Don’t be a Christian dogey.  Stay put in your “herd” unless God leads you out.

So, how are you doing?