God...dog?
In thinking and praying about what my first post of the year should be I began recounting the events of 2015. Struggles, of course, surfaced before the blessings passed through my mind. Waking up from surgery with, "it was cancer", having a son turn 17 and
your heart aches for him to drive, but more importantly to function like
his peers, but he is still having seizures. Friends hurting...the list
can go on. The good list pops up too: Vacations, family laughter, 20th
anniversary milestone. The ups and downs that we surf over throughout a
year can be adventurous, yet exhausting. Then my heart heard these words: God is not my dog. Seemingly random, right?
Over the years many people have shared little quips about how God spelled backwards is dog because God loves dogs or because dogs are man's best friend and they love without measure. Outwardly, I'd say that seems a little irreverent, but in my heart-Suddenly, I am convicted. Convicted to the point of coming to my knees both physically and spiritually. Have I been treating God like my dog? "No, I protest!", but the Spirit continues to convict.
So precise.
So surgical.
When our perspective becomes altered and we are looking at things from the wrong direction, God indeed can quickly become our dog. The words, even now, hurt my heart as they pound from my fingers. I have to confess that at moments and maybe for a few long stretches, I unknowingly have viewed God as my dog. Before you scoff at the thought, think with me...
When I need him, I call, expecting a quick response that pleases me. When I need a guardian, I expect Him to do as I command. When someone harms me...dare I say, "get 'em."? When I need some selfish comfort, I call Him to warm my heart. When I need a listening ear, I talk and maybe I only want to hear my own answers respond? Or when I know I am in the wrong, but don't want correcting, does my heart long for just a comforting look that I am ok? When things aren't going as I planned, I PANIC and call out His name as if He has ran off and left my home. When I want to look like I've got it all together, do I just carry Him as an accessory? Is my God and Savior being reduced to a crate instead of His crown?!?
I had to answer honestly because when we see our God from the correct perspective He is King. He is the loving Creator who stooped down and crafted us with His hands. He is the Savior who reached out His hands to humanity only to have them nailed to the cross for our sins. He is the Redeemer who has brought us back from the death curse of sin and given us new spiritual life on earth and a future in heaven. When you are in His presence you feel His breathtaking power and unconditional love. You feel the piercing eyes of the Savior looking into your soul, seeing all that you are or ever will be and healing you. When you are in His presence you know that the one who gives you the very breath that holds your life by a string forgives you for being so foolish as to ever treat Him like He were your lap dog.
John 1:1-5; Romans 9:20-24; 1 John 1:9
-Melissa Pyle
Over the years many people have shared little quips about how God spelled backwards is dog because God loves dogs or because dogs are man's best friend and they love without measure. Outwardly, I'd say that seems a little irreverent, but in my heart-Suddenly, I am convicted. Convicted to the point of coming to my knees both physically and spiritually. Have I been treating God like my dog? "No, I protest!", but the Spirit continues to convict.
So precise.
So surgical.
When our perspective becomes altered and we are looking at things from the wrong direction, God indeed can quickly become our dog. The words, even now, hurt my heart as they pound from my fingers. I have to confess that at moments and maybe for a few long stretches, I unknowingly have viewed God as my dog. Before you scoff at the thought, think with me...
When I need him, I call, expecting a quick response that pleases me. When I need a guardian, I expect Him to do as I command. When someone harms me...dare I say, "get 'em."? When I need some selfish comfort, I call Him to warm my heart. When I need a listening ear, I talk and maybe I only want to hear my own answers respond? Or when I know I am in the wrong, but don't want correcting, does my heart long for just a comforting look that I am ok? When things aren't going as I planned, I PANIC and call out His name as if He has ran off and left my home. When I want to look like I've got it all together, do I just carry Him as an accessory? Is my God and Savior being reduced to a crate instead of His crown?!?
I had to answer honestly because when we see our God from the correct perspective He is King. He is the loving Creator who stooped down and crafted us with His hands. He is the Savior who reached out His hands to humanity only to have them nailed to the cross for our sins. He is the Redeemer who has brought us back from the death curse of sin and given us new spiritual life on earth and a future in heaven. When you are in His presence you feel His breathtaking power and unconditional love. You feel the piercing eyes of the Savior looking into your soul, seeing all that you are or ever will be and healing you. When you are in His presence you know that the one who gives you the very breath that holds your life by a string forgives you for being so foolish as to ever treat Him like He were your lap dog.
John 1:1-5; Romans 9:20-24; 1 John 1:9
-Melissa Pyle
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