Companions on the journey

I emerged from another ride in the scrub on day 6 of lent and arrived back at the roadside about 500 metres from my parents property. I thought to myself, instead of going home I'll go for one last little ride up to the end of the road and back. As I headed up to the colder sack at the top of the hill I came across a familiar face. It was my dad and he had our two dogs with him.
I said g'day and stopped. I guess my early morning rides have inspired someone to take the dogs for early morning walks. Instead of going on my way I stayed with dad and the dogs chatting with dad on the way home. Dad's a good mate.
It wasn't always this way with dad. In my late teenage years I was a right little punk. I gave my parents absolute hell. I remember having some run ins with dad that I thought our relationship as father and son would never recover from. Sometimes I can't imagine what I put my parents through with some of the choices I made and the arrogance by which I lived my life. I could tell story after story about things I did that strained my relationship with my parents almost to the point of disrepair. There was a time there where I thought, either they were going to kick me out of the house or I would leave.
Yet through all of this my parents loved me, they provided for me and they prayed that through some divine intervention I would wake up to myself. There were times in my life back then when I felt very alone yet my parents were the unfailing companions all the way.
When I saw dad on the road with the dogs it reminded me of that sense of companionship. Being Labrador and Border collie, they are the most loyal dogs, they'll stick by you through anything. We need companionship like that through the journey of life and discipleship. May we all be blessed with loyal companions.

Shalom
Mark