Most of you know that I am not a dog person (sorry). However, I must admit that God can even use dogs to teach us things! Trina is a 1 1/2 year old German Shepherd and happens to be black with tan socks. The things that I notice most about her is that she is almost always happy. She loves to play, in fact if you have a tennis ball that you are willing to throw you will be her friend for life! When we take her walking or running along the canal she doesn’t care about anyone or anything else…she is purely focused on having fun. She loves to swim and run.
Like I said Trina is almost always happy. Honestly, the only time we see her “depressed” is when everyone leaves for work. Often we use phrases like “The joy of the Lord is my Strength” (concept comes from Psalm 28:7). What qualities would life take on if we truly allowed God’s joy to fill us? Honestly, one of the fruits of the spirit is joy (Galatians 5:22-23). So, if we are walking with God than it makes sense that joy should be growing in our lives. And, I don’t know about you but I am sure glad that God doesn’t leave me to go to work! I think I’d get depressed too!!! We have truly been created to walk in joy!
The other thing that catches me about Trina is the focus. When you have that ball she will not take her eyes off it. If she doesn’t see where you threw it she will automatically grid search the yard (I am not kidding – she could have been a search and rescue dog) until she finds it. And, she searches with tons of energy, joy and a tail wagging like she is on a great adventure.
God has called us on an adventure! That adventure is to fully explore relationship with him and keep searching for all he has for us. He has called us to live with excitement and expectancy. In Matthew 13 Jesus tells a parable of the “pearl of great price”. Think of finding something that valuable. How would you proceed? Would it be with fear and discouragement or excitement. I really think we’d be like Trina running around, tail wagging, all excited.
So, why not commit to have a joyous adventure with God this summer? Search for that “pearl of great price”, look for the God moments, and rejoice in who he is. No matter what the season of life you are in – there is joy in the Lord. Enjoy your joyous adventure!