Dog-gone Love
By Jeannine Sawall
“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!”
1 John 3:1
I have two dogs: One is a nine-month-old, 8 lb. Maltese; the other is an eight-year-old, 70 lb. yellow lab. Their personalities are as different as their bodies. However, they are alike in one way: They lavish me with love. I don’t know what it is about puppy love, but no matter what, they are eager to see me. Their big brown eyes never look at me with anger, but always gaze at me adoringly. They never seek me out for selfish gain, but rather nudge my hand with their cold noses saying, “I love you. Can you take a minute and spend some time with me?” No matter the mood I come home in, they greet me at the door, tails thumping away on the floor as if to say, “We missed you today and we’re so glad you’re back!” They just love me to pieces!
Isn’t it refreshing how God uses all good things we enjoy to point us back to Him? As part of His creation, my puppies reflect their Creator. He lavishes us with love. We are His great delight. He’s made us His children and desires to have a relationship with us that’s real and powerful! He’s waiting anxiously for us to know Him. We know how forgiving dogs are. Their relationship with us is not based on a scorecard, and neither is our Lord’s. He doesn’t love us based on what we have or haven’t done, but loves us unconditionally, wherever we are. When life becomes busy, His Holy Spirit nudges us gently saying, “I’ve missed you. Can you take some time to come spend it with me.” And no matter our mood or our circumstances, He is waiting at the door of our hearts saying, “I’m here for you. Whatever it is you need, I have it. Let me help you.”
I love being lavished with love by my puppies and I love being lavished with love by God. I look down at my dogs, lying side-by-side, nestled against my feet. I look up and I see my Lord holding me in the palm of His hand. In my own frailty, I can’t match their unconditional love for me, but I am so thankful for the picture God has given of Himself and His lavish love in these two simple, loving pets. How great is the Father’s love that He reminds us time and time again, in so many ways, of His endless love for us.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Do you feel lavished by love by the Father? If not, ask Him to reveal His heart for you in a new way today.
FURTHER READING:
Jeremiah 31:3; John 3:16
Jeannine is a wife and active mother of four boys. She works in property management and is a part of the Special Events team for Oakwood’s We Women ministries.
