Unconditional Love :: Deeper Devotion

by Glenn Ansley

Psalms 42:1-2
As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?

Kristie and I rescued a puppy from the Humane Society about a month ago. God’s really used him to convict me about how much time I’m spending with the Lord.

Jake wakes us up every morning around 5:00 crying. At first we thought he did this because puppies were afraid of the dark. I can now assure you that this is not the case at all. When I let him out of the cage he doesn’t beeline it for the front door like many people might think he would. The truth is, Jake isn’t concerned with the dark, using the bathroom, or even eating… he just wants to be around my wife and me as often as possible. Between classes and work I come in and out of the house several times a morning. I don’t think there’s been an instance yet where the excitement of my return hasn’t driven him crazy. In fact, it seems to only be getting worse with time.

The irony of this situation is that Jake has no knowledge of the inevitable death from which Kristie and I rescued him. For a puppy, life is simple: use the bathroom, eat, sleep, and play. His devotion and longing desire to be with us is not out of gratitude for his life, but rather out of the sincerest love. As I write this, he sits on my lap repeatedly licking my face. With that said, you can imagine the conviction I’ve experienced concerning my own relationship with the Lord.

Jesus Christ gave up His life so that I would no longer have to spend eternity without Him in a real place called hell. He has delivered me from the bond of Satan and given me a hope that not even death can quench. Yet, in all of this, I fail to crave His presence even as much as a puppy longs for mine. Sure, I come to the Lord several times a day, but it’s generally because I need something. I can only imagine how disappointed Kristie and I would be with Jake if the only times he wanted our attention was when he was hungry. How can we go through life so self-centered that we don’t see the same truth in our relationship with the Lord?

I challenge you to greet the Lord with anticipation for the remainder of the day. The next time you wake up, let it be with praise and thanksgiving to the God who has saved you from eternal torment. Make no mistake, He is not in need of your attention to continue existing, but He sure does enjoy it. Don’t fall into the trap of complacency in your relationship with the Lord. He is a personal God who takes joy in your presence. How much more should we take joy within the presence of Him!

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