My daughter and her
family have a Labrador Retriever named Mater.
He is gorgeous! Yellow in color
and BIG, 85 pounds of BIG. Not only is
he BIG physically, but he has a BIG heart.
He loves like no dog I have ever met.
We have built a relationship with him and he loves us
unconditionally.
He loves his family. He loves me and Rick. When we are sitting on the couch, he climbs
up into our laps, lovingly puts his mouth around our arm and gently, oh so
gently, gnaws on it.
He also loves his
toys; especially his tennis ball. Part
of our relationship with Mater involves a dog ball shooter that shoots the
tennis ball way out into the back of the yard.
And oh, does he ever love to chase that tennis ball! When I point that ball shooter to the back of
the yard, he races out before it even comes out of the shooter, with
anticipation of what is to come. He runs
with enthusiasm and joy; his tail never stops wagging. He is never grumpy or lazy, but always chases
hard after that ball because he loves chasing it so much. When he chases that ball his enthusiasm is a
joy to behold.
When I end the game
and change his direction by walking towards the house, he follows me with
joy. His tail never stops wagging. He loves that tennis ball, he loves the game
and he loves me! He is willing to stop
the game that he loves so much and go in the house because he loves me! We have built a strong relationship, and
because we have built a strong relationship, he is willing to follow me into
the house with joy, even when he’d rather stay outside and play.
As I was playing with
him the other day, it occurred to me that that is how our relationship with God
should be. Just as Mater chases hard
after that ball, we should be chasing hard after God. We should be chasing him with joy and
enthusiasm, never questioning his direction or being lazy or grumpy. We should be chasing Him with anticipation of
what is to come. And I think, if we can
nail that like Mater has nailed it, we will be a joy to behold for our Savior
and a living testimony to others.
David was a man who
followed hard after God, and God called him, “a man after His own heart….” I Samuel 13:14. In Psalm 63:1-8 David said, “Oh God, You are
my God; I shall seek you earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns
for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, to see
your power and Your glory. Because your
loving kindness is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless you as long as I live; I will
lift up my hands in Your name. My soul
is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth offers praises with
joyful lips. When I remember you on my
bed, I meditate on you in the night watches, for you have been my help, and in the
shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. My
soul follows hard after You; Your right hand upholds me.”
David was a man of
many struggles but he was also a man of much joy. It is my prayer for you and me that we become
people after God’s own heart. It is my
prayer for us that we follow hard after God.
And it is my prayer for us that we have great joy as we follow hard
after Him.
I know you struggle
with life. I struggle with life. Won’t it be an easier struggle if we struggle
side by side with the one who holds the Universe in His hands?
“He is the image of
the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in
the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities-all things have been created through Him and for
Him. He is before all things and in Him
all things hold together.”
ENCOURAGING YOU TODAY
TO HAVE A BIG HEART FOR GOD
AND
CHASE HARD AFTER HIM,
WHO HOLDS THE UNIVERSE IN HIS HANDS!
