I thought you might like to meet my puppy, Zhu Zhu. He's a Lhasa Apso, is very loyal, spoiled rotten, and sometimes hard to live with. But such a blessing!I'm amazed at the total dependence this puppy has on me. He depends on me and my boys depend on me - and that's a joy. The boys are old enough now to be able to do many things for themselves. Shayne is 15 and Josh is 12, so they can fix themselves a meal at night while I'm teaching. Shayne's a good driver! (Yikes!) And they can make many of their own decisions and I encourage that. So, while they are still very dependent on me, they do have a modicum of independence, which is good.
As parents, it's what we're supposed to do, isn't it? We are supposed to teach our children to be independent and how to make good decisions, how to live on their own and to treat others with respect, how to raise a family and take care of it. However, we are also supposed to teach them to "trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding," (Prov. 3:5) because when we're in the midst of the hard times and we don't know why, we need someone else to lean on.
But my poor little puppy is not the same. While he is pretty old - at least a teenager in puppy years - he is still unable to open the door to freedom to go potty. Unable to feed himself because he can't reach the food on top of the dryer. He's unable to turn the faucet on in order to pour water into his bowl. He is completely dependent on me. And if I'm not there to take care of his needs, he's in big trouble and may have to resort to unacceptable behavior, just because his needs are not being met with the frequency that he requires.
I am much like my boys. And much like my puppy. I am able to make my own decisions, and certainly able to take care of my physical needs. I can feed myself, water myself, and open the door to freedom! While I have every oppotunity available to take care of myself, there are times when I feel more like my puppy than like my boys. I feel completely dependent on my Father for care.
Except that sometimes I forget to go to Him. While He waits for me to come to His study, I stay in my room worrying, crying, complaining, and all the while, the answer is just a few feet away. Just a few beautiful, tortured, scarred feet away.
"Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28) Rest. That also means peace.
God takes responsibility for feeding the sparrow and for clothing the earth in beauty, and we are more precious to Him than the sparrow. Why do we make do with the mundane things of this earth, when our heavenly Father has made a place for us at His table, along with all the others that He holds so highly? We are seated at the right hand of God (Eph. 2:6). Why do we accept a lesser place?
Our Father loves us dearly. He proved that by giving His only Son, Jesus, to die as the ultimate and final sacrifice for our sins, assuring us a place in eternal glory when we accept His grace, His forgiveness, and His Son, Jesus. Glory to God that He has made this salvation available to us.
We must rest assured that He loves us and that He wants the very best for us. We must accept the peace that comes with the knowledge that God is seeing to our every need. I want to be dependent on Him. I want my Abba to take care of me. And I want to rest at the beautiful feet of Jesus while He does it.
Let's pray: Father. Abba. I love You. Forgive me for the times when I've ignored Your calling to trust You. I need no other solution but to trust that You will fulfill my every, single need. Thank you for Your provision and that You know my need even before I do. What a burden is lifted when I am resolute before You, ready for answers, expecting them and receiving ...peace. I come dependent before You. Dependent on Your grace, on Your provision, and on Your love.
