Vern can be very intentional when he wants something. Take for instance, when he wants to go for a walk, he‘ll jump high off the ground to tell us how excited he is about the possibility of roaming the neighborhood. Or if he wants to play with Bee, he will crouch down and then dart over to his Frenchie sister with incredible energy.
We can also go through life in an intentional manner or we can just live without much thought to the purpose behind our actions. When we choose to be intentional, goals can be met and life is richer.
Jesus was the most intentional man who walked the earth. Every move he made had a specific purpose. Take for instance in the book of Mark after Jesus had fed the four thousand.
“Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”(Mark 6:45-50)
Notice how Jesus made his disciples get into the boat, knowing they were heading straight into a storm. Many would ask why? Isn’t Jesus supposed to smooth out your sails in life? So if he intentionally pushed his disciples out into rough waters, why should we expect Jesus to treat us differently?
Could Jesus want us to go through the storms of life so we when he walks by, we would be more inclined to call out to him?
Vern’s intentional nature helps me to reflect on my creator and how he works in a deliberate manner in my life. So as my little furry friend lives each day with purpose, I need to be just as deliberate with my actions and words.