I Hate That Stupid Bobby Dog

Ahh...Scotland. I am very proud of my Scottish family heritage. I love the country and its people (past and present). I have blood ties to a number of Scottish clans, but the most we know about is the Macleans of Duart. My wife, Ebe, and I visited Scotland in the summer of 2005. It is a pipe dream of mine to one day move there and minister the Gospel.
After visiting missionaries there on a "vision trip" with a Presbyterian missionary organization, we came to two very important conclusions:

1. There is such a desperate need for people to go and "set up camp" and minister the Gospel there. Scotland is POST-Christian. It is statistically only 2% Christian (and of that 2%, who knows who are actually true believers, disseminating the apostolic Gospel??).
1a: Perhaps one day we will be 2 of those who go and set up camp there.

2. Presently, we are absolutely not prepared to do so. We are not emotionally or spiritually ready. This is because it is such a dark place. You can "feel" the darkness. But, OHH one day...

Anyway, to make the long story of why I named my URL what I did all the longer:
We were in Edinburgh one day and I really really wanted to visit Greyfriars Kirk (Kirk is Gaelic for Church by the way). Greyfriars is where the National Covenant was signed. This covenant was an agreement among the protestants in Scotland that did not believe that the King of England was the "Head" of the Church, having "divine right" to say and do as he pleased in matters pertaining to the Church. The Covenanters, as they were called, were persecuted, and some martyred because they believed the king deserved allegiance in all regards besides the headship of the Church. They believed that Jesus Christ was and is the only Head of the Church.

We visited the cemetery where hundreds of the thousands of Covenanting martyrs were buried. The prison in which they were held while awaiting judgement is nestled in the rear. In order to visit the graveyard you have to weave yourself around a couple of buildings that stand in front. One is a pagan worship supply store as well as Greyfriars Pub (also called Bobby's Bar).

Now I love pub food and especially British style ales and stouts, so it was no problem to visit the pub. As you make your way to the front door, you'll notice that there is a fair sized bronze statue of a "bobby dog" standing proudly. This dog is a very famous and beloved icon, especially in Edinburgh. Why is he famous? Well, the story goes that the bobby belonged to the old caretaker of Greyfriars Cemetery. The bobby used to follow him everywhere he went. They always dined at the pub next door. After the caretaker died he was buried in the cemetery. His bobby dog was such a "faithful" and "loyal" companion that he would spend each and every day lying atop his master's grave site. After a long, hard day of being so "faithful" and "loyal", he would visit the very same pub that would eventually be named in his honor for some supper. Isn't that such a great and glorious picture of "faithfulness" and "loyalty"??!!

When we finally entered Greyfriars Kirk we saw the beautiful sanctuary that was being set up for some sort of event. It was beautiful. So much history was there. So much love for the true King of not only the Scottish Church, but indeed the cosmos had filled that sanctuary over the years. To the side, we noticed that there was a small gift shop. You think that what you would find in the shop would at least be things related to the church and its history, but what we found was the Greyfriars' bobby dog memorabilia. How sickening. I don't hate the stupid bobby dog, but I do hate how he is a physical representation of how not only the Scots in Edinburgh, but also the desires and actions of my own heart often try to overshadow the glory of who Christ is.

The great Covenanters were not perfect men and are not to be worshiped themselves, but their lives did point to the One and Only who is to be praised above all people and things. By the grace and work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, they did all they could to promote Christ. They gave their very lives to do this.

I hate how the remaining sin in my heart continues to fight the Spirit within me. I, like each of us, continually try and usurp the glory that so rightly belongs to King Jesus. This is the root of original sin and it is so deeply ingrained within us that we even use the "faithfulness" and "loyalty" of a little dog to distract men and women from the only One who is truly faithful and loyal. The only One in whom we can place our hope of salvation...the Lord Jesus Christ. May He pursue me and sanctify me by any and every means necessary in order to prepare me for the coming of His eternal kingdom and my entering it by His grace alone.

I hate that stupid bobby dog.