She was so adorable. My dad found her in our carport, but she wouldn't come out. When I saw her, she was back in a corner, her ears stuck to her head, her tail down, and she was trembling all over. She was the cutest puppy I had ever seen - white, with black markings, favoring a beagle, lab, and dalmatian all at the same time. Once I got her out of the carport, it took some time, she became the most affectionate, calm yet playful puppy I'd ever seen, crawling up in my lap and my friend's lap, her tail wagging, struggling to reach up and give us kisses of gratitude. What were we supposed to do with her now? She wouldn't leave, even when we went in the house, she just sat on our front porch crying. We put a leash on her and walked her around from house to house, searching for her owner, who we just knew had to be missing this precious darling. But no one had seen her before... I soon discovered that she was completely attached to me. If I held the leash, she'd stay by my side, but if my friend held the leash and I got out of her range, she would start whining like crazy while staring after me with eyes of fear - wondering if she someone else would abandon her.
We eventually took her back to the house and put her in the backyard. She was our guest for five long, worrysome, stressful, uncertain days. We put flyers up all over the neighborhood, placed a posting on craigslist, and continued to ask around the neighborhood. We quickly realized that she had most likely been dropped off, abandoned, forced to become homeless.
She continued to become more and more attached to me. If I walked by the door, she would start crying, barking and jumping on the window. If we wanted her to get in the car, all I had to do was get in and she'd jump right in. When we took her around the neighborhood, if I was out of her reach, she sounded like someone was abusing her.
She seemed so unure of her future. She didn't have a home; she didn't have a family. Our family dog was allowed in the house, but she wasn't. We found several possible homes for her, but they all fell through. Meanwhile, her cries became more desperate. She grew more and more attached to me. And I felt more and more helpless, because I couldn't find her a home.
Ya know, I think in alot of ways, we are like this puppy. We go through life feeling lost, homeless, alone, abandoned, worthless, unwanted, and abused. So we do the only thing we think we can do -- we attach ourselves to anything or anyone we can, hoping with all our being that this person, this thing, will accept us, give us a sense of belonging, a home, embrace us, cherish us, give us purpose and worth. Maybe it's a boyfriend/girlfriend. Maybe it's a partner. Perhaps you got married too early to the wrong person in hopes of finding unconditional love. Maybe it's a gang, where you can feel a sense of belonging and protection. Maybe it's in a church. Maybe it's your friends. Maybe it's a house of your own. Maybe it's a career.
But eventually, and if you're honest I think you will agree, eventually that person or thing gets old. Reality sets back in, and the individual or thing lets you down, leaving right back where you started. So we find someone or something new to attach ourselves too, hoping that this time, we'll get it right.
Why do we keep doing that? Why don't we realize that we're missing something? Don't we see that we are living a lie, allowing the Devil to deceive us in the first place?
The lie is in the beginning - that we are lost and abandoned, without a home. We believe we are like sheep, without a shepherd. But the truth is that through His life, death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus Christ has gathered all of us up into His arms and carried us home. You have been reconciled to your Father. He loves you and accepts you unconditionally!! You belong exactly where you are, with Him. You don't have to change for this to be true - You are accepted and included just as you right now. You don't have to search for acceptance from people or things, because you are already accepted. You know that longing inside of you to find a home, to be valued by someone? That is a longing that can only be met in Christ, who will cherish you completely and never let you down. Reach out to Him, attach yourself to Him; He will never let you go.
As for the puppy, God answered my prayers just in time. I found her a good home and she's doing very well -- her new mom named her Faith. :-)
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.
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