We have two dogs, large 70 pound dogs to be exact. Even though they are "family" dogs, in reality they are MY dogs. For the majority of their lives I have been the one who lets them out, feeds them, and puts them to bed. Because of this fact, I am the one they love the most. While this is a good thing in some instances, like if someone where going to attack me, most of the time it is annoying! Don't get me wrong, I love the dogs...I am the one who rescued them from the street and the pound, but because I am the favorite I have 8 extra feet under mine at ALL times! Wherever I go... to the kitchen, across the room to the couch, to the bathroom...they are always less than a step behind me. And heaven forbid I turn around to change directions! It is like a 10 car pile up on a major highway! There are body parts flying in all directions, the dogs' and mine!
So the other day I got to thinking, aren't we the same when it comes to God? If we are being the followers that were created to be, we should! We should be less than a step behind our Heavenly Father at all times. Then that made me think how lucky we are that we worship a God who doesn't get annoyed that we are there! He doesn't have that human gene that we have when we just can't take anymore. There are lots of days when I have stepped on dog feet one too many times and I am ready to open the gate and let them run, and wouldn't it be easier for God to do the same with us? We have so many needs and so many complaints and so many screw ups...He should just let us go. But He doesn't, and He won't. It is proven to us in Joshua 1:9 when it says, "for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go". No matter how whiny we are or how bad we sin, He will ALWAYS be with us. It is restated in Hebrews when it says, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5)
There is a flip side to the story though. If I were to open the gate and let the dogs out, I can assure you they wouldn't leave. Our dogs have gotten out a few times and only once have they left the front yard(we will save that story for another day!). So how do you relate? If God turned you out would you run, or would you stay? My dogs know who feeds them. They know who provides them with a place to rest. They know who takes care of their every need so even when given freedom to run, they will always come back inside the gate. Do you know who does all of those things for you? Can you humble yourself to say that you NEED God and that you are grateful that He loves you enough that, no matter how annoying you are at His heels, He will NEVER let you go?
What an awesome God we serve! A God that never gets tired of turning around and nearly stepping on us, but instead greets us with unwavering love and acceptance! As you pray today, thank God your Father for loving you in this way. Give Him praise for being the ultimate caretaker with patience that know one can comprehend. Commit yourself to Him and confirm that you will follow His lead and will never run.
Now, if you have a dog, go hang out with him/her...hopefully you have more in common than you thought!
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