Many of you who converse with me on my Facebook page know I love animals. Having two cats and two rescued dogs is a testimony to that fact. One morning last month I awoke under a flannel sheet covered by two heating blankets that were caressing my body in a warm nirvana all night long. While lying on my back I began to stir and stretch. One of my cats sprung out of nowhere and jumped on the bed letting out a cute little phuuup sound. While curling up beside me she began nudging my arm with her nose in what was a successful attempt to cuddle and steal a hug.
What a great moment that was, snuggled in a warm bed with my cat beside me safe from the frigid temperatures outside. It wasn't but a wink until my bliss turned to grave concern. The weatherman had predicted frigid cold for the next few days. He warned the TV viewers to let their kitchen and bathroom faucets drip overnight to keep any pipes from freezing and bursting. As cozy and warm as I was, I realized protection from freezing was not true for many pets left out in the winter. As I lay there thinking, my mind drifted back to a situation I had witnessed as a volunteer at a local animal shelter.
On my very first day as I rounded the cages of lost, forgotten, and abandoned cats and dogs, I recall seeing one particular dog that was not confined in a pen. He was sitting at the glass front door peering out over the parking lot. People came in and out but this cute little dog sat perfectly still as if he were waiting for someone. I didn't think much of it at the time. My job was to take pictures of the dogs there, write creative personal bio's, then post their pictures online in hopes of attracting potential adopters. Every day when reporting for duty I would see that same dog waiting at the front door peering through the glass. He always seemed disinterested in anyone coming or going. He never budged from his spot and he never looked up at people. After several weeks I became curious and inquired why this little Chihuahua, Lopez, was allowed to roam free while all other cats and dogs had to be restrained within assigned, numbered cages. And why or what was he waiting for? The shelter manager told me he belonged to a former shelter employee who brought him to work every day. For reasons unknown the employee walked away from his job leaving his paycheck, never returning to the shelter, and never coming back for his dog. For two long years, Lopez waited for his owner. Every morning when the shelter was opened and the lights came on, little Lopez would run to the glass door and sit. Still, his owner never came and Lopez was never adopted. Lopez eventually realized he had been abandoned and fell into despair. Lopez died waiting. He was found at the door one morning when the manager turned the key to enter the shelter. Lopez had faithfully waited for his owner to come to get him, visit him, or even talk to him.
It's a sad story and remembering it can still induce tears. Do you have any idea why I have told this story? This story creates a picture in my mind of how God must feel when we do not visit Him by praying, talking to Him, or reading our Bibles often. I can be distracted by TV shows I want to watch, by blogging on Facebook, spending time with my pets, or by just being exhausted that I often neglect to read the Bible as diligently as I should. Oh yes, even me. I am guilty. As the story of Lopez came rushing back, I felt such shame as I mentally pictured God waiting for us just like faithful Lopez waited in vain. The Bible, especially for the believer, is one of our greatest sources of spiritual food. But sometimes we still fill up on too much junk food such as blogs, social media, news, TV sitcoms, books, online games, etc. These things aren't bad in and of themselves but when they become the major source of your day something happens! Your reasoning and perspectives will become less and less of a godly viewpoint. As an example, when a human body has a sodium deficiency, it will crave salty foods. You might not even notice that you're craving salty foods in particular, but your body is reacting to that deficiency by creating a desire for something that restores it. I know people whom I am friends with on FaceBook who have no desire to ever read the Bible. They want nothing to do with it. But that doesn't mean that as God's creation they don't crave, on some level, the desire for His Truth, His Wisdom, His Love, or His Perspective. I frequently hear from non-Christians who have no idea how closely their innermost desires parallel God's desire for them. A Christian, on the other hand, is much more likely to notice the source of this spiritual deficiency. We've already been exposed to the source of God's Wisdom, Truth, and Perspective. God's Word is meant to permeate every aspect of our lives. Our knowledge of Him is supposed to transform us (2 Corinthians 2:15). The more space that grows between your reading of scripture the more you'll find yourself saying things like, "That reminds me of a verse in the Bible" (but you cannot recall it), or, "That sounds kind of like the passage where...." (but you cannot recall it). Before you even realize it, you'll begin paraphrasing it, changing it as you go along, making vague references to it, or letting other sources (books, articles, teachings) have a greater impact on your understanding of God's character which may not be true at all. Have you ever said, thought, or whispered to yourself, someone else, or even God, "Look, at least I read a couple of verses today."
Reading the Bible isn't just something you need to do to stay spiritually healthy. It's not a pill you have to swallow or a chalky vitamin you have to chew. Reading the Bible is something you should do because you want to! How much you read and how frequently you read is not the point. Reading exposes you to the history of the Creator's relationship to creation -- that includes you. Lopez wanted a relationship with his owner. Not because he had to, not because he was afraid to be punished if he didn't, and not because he would be threatened. Lopez wanted a relationship with his owner because he was driven by love. If a dog can have that kind of desire and faithfulness, can you not muster enough love for God? If you want to know who God is, He had 40 people write a book with 66 chapters about Him over the course of 1,500 years!! Now, all you have to do is pick up a Bible off the shelf, read the Bible online in any version you want, or even download the Bible to your phone! Don't do it because you feel someone is making you do it. Had Lopez's owner returned, Lopez would have been crushed if he thought his owner really had no interest in him but was being forced to return to the shelter. Also, don't read the Bible to show off or brag about how much you read. Don't memorize verses to look impressive, to get a pat on the back, or acknowledgment from your friends. These things can be motivators to assist you in getting on the right track and to create healthy spiritual habits, BUT DON'T LET THOSE BE THE REASONS YOU READ THE BIBLE. A healthy relationship with God will drive you to read the Bible because what it says excites you! Read the Bible because you want to know God! Read the Bible because it's living and active (Hebrews 4:12). Read the Bible because it can SPEAK POWERFUL TRUTH into your life. Read the Bible so that your life reveals more of Christ in you (2 Corinthians 3:3). I know God will always be faithful to be there for us when we do decide to communicate, turn to Him, and read His Word. He will never grow tired of hearing us and interacting with us. And, He will never forsake us the way we have often failed and forsaken Him.
Until He Comes,
-Pat-
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