Forgive me for comparing my relationship with my dog to God’s relationship with us, but something occurred to me today.

I was out walking with my border collie on this beautiful December day. We walked a hilly country road that at one point borders a hay pasture. Its aged wire fence has one wide opening through which we passed to enter.

With the road to my back, I let my dog off leash to run. She is trained for trails and to be off-leash, so I was very certain she wouldn’t run back through the fence opening and be at risk of being hit by a passing car.

Why could I feel so confident that she would mind me, and stay within the fenceline?

Because we progressed to this degree of obedience over the two and a half years of her life.

As a puppy, she was crazy fast —…