Back Off!

This morning I was sitting in my sunroom and drinking my coffee when I noticed that Ottie was back. I watched him play around in the water for some time. Since the sun was shining brightly, I decided to brave the cold air to go out and try to get some better pictures of him.


I went to sit on the pier and wait for him to come closer. The morning is one of my favorite times of the day to sit on the pier. There is usually not much wind and the water is still; perfect for reflecting the trees and sky. I sat there for a while, until I realized that Ottie was not going to come near to me. I decided to walk along the edge of the pond to get a closer look.







At first, he humored me. He swam around and studied my every move. And then it happened. That little feller growled at me. I was startled. My feelings were hurt. I took a couple of steps back. That sweet little otter, the one I had enjoyed watching, had growled at me! How dare he! I have been letting him swim in my pond! I have been letting him eat my fish! This is my territory! How dare He!






I stood there a while longer, took some more pictures, and stared back at him (just to let him know who was the boss.) I was still shocked and hurt that after all of my kindness to him, he told me to back off! Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Isn't that what I do to God sometimes? I enjoy all of his blessings and goodness in my life, and just when he wants to come closer, I say, "back off." Of course I don't growl at him (I would never do that); I just politely say, "That's close enough." Boy, did Ottie teach me a lesson today! I just had to stop to pray and ask for God's forgivness. I don't ever want him to 'back off' from my life. I want him in every part of it. I know I couldn't survive without him. I am thankful that when I draw close to him, he doesn't tell me to 'back off'; he just says, "Come closer."

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Come near to God and he will come near to you."
James 4:7&8