I love my baby girl! She follows me almost every step I take. Her love for me is unconditional. She is just one of the best dogs we have ever had! Yesterday, I began to feel sorry for Gracie. I had been in bed for two days not feeling well and with very little energy due to side effects from a beta blocker I am having to take temporarily. Someone asked me how I was feeling and I told them, “Like I am taking a beta blocker!” Anyone who has ever taken one knows what I mean, but I won’t be on it forever! Glory to God for that!! A beta blocker can make you feel lethargic, nauseated, and just a whole list of pestering symptoms! It makes you feel like you can barely go and you don’t! Due to this, I had only seen Gracie at night for two days. Gracie sleeps with me, but when my husband gets up in the mornings he takes her with him into his office (which is in our home) so that she doesn’t awaken me. She is an early riser and I am a late sleeper. I don’t see her until I get up and come out of the bedroom.
My favorite time with Gracie is just before bedtime. She loves to get in bed and snuggle! She has to touch me in the night at all times. If I move, she lets me get settled and then she moves as close to me as she can possibly get. Last night, even though Gracie was with me right before we went down for the night (as we say in Texas) I thought about how much I had been missing Gracie and our quality time together. This morning my husband said, “I can set something up for you in the living room so you can be comfortable. Gracie is really missing you. Yesterday, she moped all day because she didn’t get to see you.” I knew the feeling of missing and longing for the other one was mutual!
As I thought about this, and I say this with all respect, I am certainly not comparing God to a dog but I thought about our relationship with God. I know God literally waits and looks for us to spend time with Him. Remember the story of the prodigal son? It says the Father (symbolizing God the Father) looked down the road and when He saw His son, He ran to meet him! He embraced him! He didn’t fuss at him for not coming sooner! He didn’t put a guilt trip on him for all the things he had not done right! His aim wasn’t to teach him a lesson and how! His joy was full that his son had come home and was with Him again!
For those who may see God as a “pay back” God, let me tell you nothing could be further from the truth! He loves you with a forever, unconditional love! His aim in life isn’t to see you get what is “coming to you”, but to save you and bless you! He knows your hurts, sorrows, and things you wrestle with! He wants you to come as you are, wounds and all! It is amazing when you sit in the presence of God. You are no longer in the natural sphere of man, but in the supernatural presence of God and where God is, is great security, joy, peace, love, and total acceptance! He longs for you! He would never have paid so high a price as in the giving of the life of His only Son if He didn’t love you with a love that is unfathomable!
If you are a Christian, purpose to spend quality time with the Lord, even if it is on your daily commute to and from work. If you aren’t, God is waiting for you. Come as you are. Don’t say, “Well, let me clean up a bit, get rid off some things, etc..” Those are works and they are as “filthy rags” unto God! If we could clean ourselves up, why did Jesus allow Himself to be sacrificed for our sins and failings? He could have saved Himself a lot of pain if that had been the case! He could have just said, “Get rid of those bad habits, and be good and you can come in and live in heaven when the time comes.” It doesn’t work that way. The blood has to be applied to your life and there is no other way to be saved! It is a matter of simple believing and giving of yourself to Him, just as He gave Himself for you. Come today, and come as you are! The Father is waiting with open and loving arms!!
Blessings to you, my dear reader! I will see you soon!
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