8.21.2010

Puppy Love

I'm not an animal person.  I enjoy eating meat; I have recurring nightmares involving cats attacking me; I have never wanted a dog.  I am, however, a baby person.  I enjoy cuddling, nurturing and playing with every baby I see.  That being said, there is a part of me that softens when I see a puppy. 

The characteristics I find revolting in adult dogs - shedding, bad breath, excessive licking, repulsive odor, jumpiness, crotch-sniffing - seem to slip my mind when I see a cute puppy playfully romping around.  There is just something about a soft, floppy-eared, puppy that makes me happy.

I think it may have something to do with how the puppy relates to his owner.  A puppy will joyfully follow his owner wherever he goes.  The dog may get distracted from time to time, stopping to smell the grass or chase a butterfly, but when the owner calls him, the puppy is reminded of his heart's true desire - to be with his owner - and he comes bounding back.  All a puppy really wants is for his master - in whom he delights - to pay attention to him.

It has occurred to me that's all I really want, too.

I may get distracted from time to time, but when God calls me, I am reminded of my heart's true desire - to be with my Father - and I come bounding back.  Proverbs says, "What a man desires is unfailing love."  And only the Lord is capable of giving us the perfect love we crave.

What's interesting about the relationship between a puppy and his owner, though, is that the owner delights in the puppy just as much as the puppy delights in the owner.  Grown men - reserved men who wear business suits and run companies - will drop to their knees and greet their puppies with open arms and babbling puppy talk, totally disregarding who is around to see them act so childishly.  Owners' hearts swell with excitement when their puppies seem so happy to see them.

I think God feels the same way when we come to Him.  Psalm 149 says, "The Lord delights in His people...Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy..."

Come to Him today, as a puppy delighting in his master, and experience the Father's love.

3 comments:

Randall Johnson said...

When we talked about this earlier I was hoping you would blog about it. I got my wish. Thank you and thanks for sharing the concept with me. I have used it to great benefit in my walk with Christ.

Kelly said...

I am so glad!

Randall Johnson said...

Does it make you want to frolick?