Two random thoughts.
1. Papa has overwhelmed me the last few days with his unending love for me.
2. Our dog, Toby
I don’t know where this is going, but I’m journaling it anyway. This will be a weird one I can tell but I can’t wait to see where it ends up when I’m done.
Over the weekend, Father overwhelmed me with his love for me in a very awesome way. The story is much too long for this blog, but just suffice to say, he answered a very specific prayer in a very specific way. In the midst of it, I heard him tell me how much he loved me and it just moved me to tears. I am so grateful for his love, even if he never does another thing for me as long as I live.
We have a dog, Toby. He’s small enough that he can – and does – make a perch at the top of the couch in the big overstuffed cushions. He will lay there all day long, doing nothing and minding his own business. I noticed today that every time I walked past him (perhaps 8 or 10 times throughout the day), I would just reach down and scratch the scruff of his neck or scratch his belly or something. I noticed that it was just comforting and therapeutic to just pet the dog.
After I realized what I was doing and how often I was doing that, I felt Papa ask me, “Are you [spiritually] as warm and inviting to others as Toby is to you?” “Were you [spiritually] a dog, would other people want to cuddle you and scratch you behind the ears?”
The overwhelming feeling I felt earlier this weekend of God’s unbelievable love for me, is the same feeling God wants me to pass along to those who come in my path. He wants me to love on others the way he loves on me. He wants me to bring comfort to others the way he comforts me. As He pours into me, I am to overflow to others. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (ESV)
Now I will always have a visual aide in my walk… our dog, Toby, lying on the top of the sofa.
There are so many pictures that paints, but that will be another post.
Papa, thank you for your love. Thank you for your overwhelming presence and goodness. Help me love others the way you love me. Help me comfort others the way you comfort me. Every time I scratch the dog, remind me of how you want me to represent you. I love you more every day.