Longing to Love

Whoever said love has to be complicated? As soon as I jammed my peanut butter fingers into the sterilized dog bones and dropped the now sticky bones to the ground for their proud new owners to scurry after at full disabled-doggy speed, the tears flocked to my eyes (as best they could despite my recent bout of dry eye) in my humble realization through this so seemingly insignificant act of how simple, and small, and seemingly insignificant an act of love can be. But when is love ever insignificant? To paralyzed dog Miss Mercy, and two-footed dog Winnie and one-eyed, blind dog Glory, who share a bedroom, heaven had just opened wide its doors and tossed down their peanut butter delights. So why the near tears over something so seemingly simple and small?

Because I think I win the world’s record for the widest gap between my indescribably, exceedingly, endlessly, over-the-top passion to love the Lord and others – AND how extremely far short I fall daily. Oh, how I long to love! The more I seek the Lord, the more I know His love, the more I love Him. The more I love Him, the more I long to love Him and others. And where for so very long I took love for granted and barely gave it a second thought or glance, now I know it’s a matter of life or death, isn’t it?

One-eyed, blind Glory with paralyzed Miss Mercy….

Not so long ago, I wouldn’t have given a passing thought to tossing peanut butter dog bones onto the floor for three disabled dogs, but I am learning not to take God – and love – for granted. And no matter how far short I continue to fall daily in loving God and loving others, I now know how unwise it is to take these precious moments of love, mercy, and grace for granted.

For whose love is it anyway that poured out of my heart and hands in these precious peanut butter moments with the dogs? God’s. His love poured into my heart. His love that cannot be contained. His love that is not meant to be contained, but poured out once again.

Oh, how I long for the day I find that His love pours out of me in an exceedingly greater volume than the lack of love and all that goes with it that I find still too far often coming forth from me.

Oh, how I long to love! How grateful I am to even have these precious moments when once upon a time I had none of God’s love at all. For I did not know Him. And now that I do know Him, and now that I fall ever more in love with Him, how I long to love.

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.” 1 John 3:14 NASB

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-4 NASB

Please visit Walk by Faith Ministry at https://www.walkbyfaithministry.com.