He was not yet housebroken, so I was careful not to trip in any wayward puddles. At any sign of an impending squat I quickly snatched him up and raced outside to the grass.  His sharp little puppy teeth innocently found their way to every single drawer knob and rocker bottom in my house, despite my attempts to guide them to things less dangerous to chew. He raced like a victorious bull through the screen door that eventually fell in surrender around him. He shredded not only the newspaper that was supposed to help him learn housetraining, but every single toy that his owner sent with him. My floors looked like cotton fields with all the white fluff scattered across them.

And yet, he was so darn cute. My voice was strong in the moments when I scolded him, “No!” but he was quickly forgiven as he breathed puppy breath into my face and licked me with his happy tongue. He chewed my flip flop then looked at me with soulful apologetic eyes that melted my heart. Who cares about flip flops? I thought to myself. His clumsy paws got tangled in my feet, and before I could even reprimand him, I laughed as we ended up on the floor. And when he finally fell asleep and snuggled at the foot of the bed, I smiled at the sound of gentle snoring and little legs prancing in happy puppy dreams.  I fell in love with this dog – and he wasn’t even mine. Imagine how I’d feel if I was the one who chose him out of the litter to call my own.

At the risk of sounding trite, I can’t help but think of God loving me like this.

I see Him as He gently lifts me up from my puddle of tears and says, “Come with me; I’ll show you a better way.”

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6).

I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk,
give you counsel with my eye upon you (Psalm 32:8).

I feel Him as He silently helps me clean up the mess I’ve made and gently says, “Let me help you.”

For I am the Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand.
It is I who say to you, do not fear, I will help you (Isaiah 41:13).

I hear Him forgive me very time I apologize, and He says, “Nothing you ever do will keep me from loving you.”

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins
from us (Psalm 103:12).

I imagine how He looks tenderly at me with open loving arms and says, “Come, let me give you rest.”

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for yourselves.For my yoke is easy, and my burden light (Matthew 11:28-30).

And most of all, my heart thrills to the thought that He chose me and calls me His own. 

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain (John 15:16).

Yes, the puppy went home, but his reminder of God’s unfailing love lingers long after. No sin or sadness or mistake or fatigue could ever separate us from His love. In Saint Paul’s words:

I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8: 38-39).