With Pastor Andrew “Hammo” Hamilton
It’s been just over a year since Hammo’s family brought home a new dog, and as many pet owners know, the honeymoon period eventually gives way to real-life training challenges. For Hammo that challenge has been recall.
No matter how many books he read or training videos he watched, his dog still preferred anything else over returning when called – seagulls, other dogs, smelly fish on the beach… you name it.
“I’m just not as exciting as a seagull,” he joked. And honestly, many dog owners have been there.
But after feeling completely out of options, he tried an e-collar. And while the device itself isn’t something every trainer recommends, one moment caught his attention:
“The second she felt that little buzz, she ran straight back and stayed right beside me. She knew that staying close to me was the safe place.”
And that’s where an unexpected spiritual reflection began.
A Surprising Parallel: How We Sometimes Treat God
Watching his dog run toward danger – or at least distraction -sparked a moment of honesty. Because don’t we do the same with God?
We often come close when we’re hungry, struggling, anxious, or looking for comfort. But when life feels busy, exciting, or distracting?
Like a dog chasing birds on the beach, it’s easy to sprint ahead and forget to look back.
“Sometimes we only come back to God when nothing else is working,” Hammo reflected. “But maybe the safest place to be is right beside Him all along.”
When the Holy Spirit Nudges Us Back
In the same way the dog felt a prompt that said, Come back – this is where you’re safe, believers sometimes experience gentle spiritual nudges.
Maybe it’s a moment of conviction.
Maybe it’s a feeling that something needs to change.
Maybe it’s a verse, a conversation, or a circumstance that pulls our attention back toward God.
Hammo put it this way:
“Every now and then we need a bit of a boot – a nudge from the Holy Spirit that says, ‘Hey, next to God is the best place for you.’”
It isn’t about fear. It’s about safety. It’s about returning to the One who loves us.
If You’re Wondering What God Wants to Say to You…
Maybe this is your moment of reflection.
If you’ve felt distant from God…
If life has been busy or distracting…
If you’ve been chasing other things and wondering why you feel lost…
Perhaps this is your gentle nudge, your “voltage up your backside” – as Hammo jokingly put it – to come back close again.
Not because you’re in trouble.
Not because God is angry.
But because near God is where you are cared for, known, and held.
Staying Close When Life Gets Loud
Here are a few simple ways to lean back toward God this week:
1. Start with one small prayer
It doesn’t need to be long. Just honest.
2. Open Scripture, even for a few minutes
Often God speaks to us through familiar passages at unexpected times.
3. Make space for quiet
Turn off the noise. Sit with God. Breathe.
4. Reach out to someone who builds your faith
Sometimes connection brings us back to centre.
A Gentle Reminder for Today
If you’re feeling spiritually unsure, scattered, or far away, let this be your reminder:
Come back. Stay close. God cares for you more than you realise.
He isn’t asking for perfection – just proximity.
Because just like a dog returning to the side of the one who loves her, staying close to God is the safest, most life-giving place we can be.
You can check out the full chat Hammo had with Leah & Dan below.