He laid by the door for three days as I spent time in Savannah with the girls. He cuddled by me when I was the sickest of sick. He greeted me no matter how long I was gone. He was my companion when my husband had to leave on business every week. Who do you think he is?
If you answered my dog – you are correct. As soon as our family adopted Mugsy, our family learned our dog was more than just a dog. If you ever welcome one of these creatures in your home, you realize quickly why they are called best friends. They react to you like you imagine God reacts to you with unconditional love. They love you no matter who else you spend time with, no matter what else you do, no matter how much money you earn or spend, or no matter what you look like. They appreciate spending time with you whether it is watching a movie or going on a walk. They appreciate every gift of food, treats, or toys. They never complain. They think you are the best thing since slice bread.
My slogan is if I could only be as good as my dog, then I would be 200 times a better person. My dog is more in God’s image than I’ll ever be. A dog who never judges, nags, screams, or gets frustrated. He even comes bounding down the stairs at 2 am when coming home from a late evening. If you have a dog, you understand the experience.
Not only is my dog a saint to my husband and I, but he allows our daughter to run after him and act like he is a jungle gym. He is the first to react if he hears her cry. He starts and ends the day with kisses to every one in the family.
Have you ever thought how you would like God to look and react to you? For me, this is it. My image is a God who laughs with me, understands me, protects me, loves me, kisses me uncontrollably, and never judges me. A God who knows what I need without asking. A God who just wants to spend time with me and love on me. A God who wants me to succeed, but doesn’t ask a lot of questions. A God who supports me and teaches me, but does not have to spend time critiquing or criticizing me. A God who knows me on every level. A God where every day he wags his tail and everyday is my birthday.
Many people ask if there is a God then why doesn’t he show himself. My question to you is do you know your dog loves you even when he doesn’t speak? God doesn’t need to be in a physical body for us to know he exists. He shows us his unconditional love everyday through all of our blessings. Everyday he loves us by blessings of a home, food to eat, a soul mate, children, friends, a career, health, and the list could go on and on. Like a wonderful quote I heard the other day…there are times I have left my Faith, but my Faith has never left me. Similar to my dog, there is nothing I could do that God would leave me. He waits for me to return home like the prodigal son, like Mary Magdalene he soothes me when I’m sick, and like the disciples he walks by me in the sand. Just like losing a pet, life and God doesn’t promise us roses without thorns, but we are promised everlasting companionship. Many times I’ve told people if they want to know there is a God, then get a dog. For soon, you’ll experience the love God has for you not because you deserve it or you’ve asked, but because you are who you are. There is no reason our dogs should love us like they do, but like God they love us because we are who we are. So the next time you wonder if there is a God or how God is looking or reacting to you think of your dog running and catching an object in the air because this is exactly how I believe God is looking and reacting to each and every one of us with excitement, overwhelming joy, and pure, unadultered, everlasting love.
