My Dog Loves Me

Ever feel like nobody cares?

I mean really--people are friendly, but does it seem like they truly don't care about what you think, feel, like or dislike? You may feel alone--even in a crowd of people. It happens. Quite often. To all of us.

On days like that, I find it helpful to go home.

Why?

Not to give-up per se or to hide, but rather, to be loved unconditionally. You see, I KNOW that when I open that door, my dog Koda will be THRILLED to see me. In fact, his excitement and interest will start even before I open the door.

You see, I'll often hear him whining before I even get to the door. Sometimes he barks and scratches the door in passionate anticipation. And, as soon as I open the door he jumps around with his tail wagging vigorously. True, sometimes he needs to go outside to relieve himself, but I've noticed that he does all this even if he doesn't have to "go potty."

Koda is short for Kodiak because he looks somewhat like a bear. He's 105 pounds of love though and doesn't have a mean bone in his body. And, he loves me. Unconditionally. He loves to be with me and will lay at my feet, (as he is right now) all day. He's just happy to be with me--any time...all the time.

I often think about that old humorous saying, "Dog spelled backwards...is G-O-D." I think that's relevant because of unconditional love. God loves constantly. In fact, He doesn't just have love for you and I, he IS love (See I John 4:16). Even if it doesn't seem like anybody cares--you can be sure that God does. He loves you and cares about you. Like Koda, he just wants to spend time with you daily. I know the analogy breaks down since God is SO much more than these attributes, but loving unconditionally, God personifies that for you.

So if this world beats you up a bit, think of Koda. More importantly, remember how God loves you. Maybe this would be a good time, to spend some time, with Him....

To that end,

Pastor Joel