Psalm 145:9
He is good to everyone, and his compassion is intertwined with everything he does.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
A sweet church friend of
mine gathered all of her “paraphernalia” on Labor Day to enjoy a
relaxing afternoon poolside...only to discover that her little
12-year-old dog had somehow wandered into the pool and died. My heart
broke for her as she described on Facebook how she ran into the house -
screaming and crying - and called her husband to come help her. I could
not imagine her shock and grief at making such a terrible discovery.
She said she was not sure that she could ever enjoy her pool again.
As
people began to comment, several mentioned that my friend’s little dog
had been sick and was in pain. Some suggested that my friend was spared
the heartache of having to “put down” her beloved pet. But all I could
think about was how heartbroken she is...and how God understands her
pain and sorrow. I wondered how many ways He will offer her His
compassion in the coming days – and how this tragedy can be used by
others to share compassion, grace and mercy in their daily living.
For
my own part, I took a good hard look at our two cats...Lucy and Mabel -
both fifteen years old now. I realize that our days with them are most
likely numbered. I thought of all of the hours and days of joy these two
little fur balls have brought to our lives, and I looked at them with a
renewed love and understanding. I vowed not to be so exasperated by
early morning taps on the nose and incessant yowling for attention...but
rather, to embrace the opportunity to snuggle with them and share a
scratch behind the ears or a gentle kiss on the head.
Every
morning, Lucy waits for me to finish my breakfast and move into my
office. She follows (if she isn’t already there waiting for me) and
dances around at my feet until I pick her up and put her in my lap.
This is our “lap time” together...and sometimes it happens more than
once during the day. Occasionally, she sits still and snuggles...other
times, she cannot get settled, and she claws my legs with her hind feet
and gently nudges my hands with her teeth. But I know altogether too
soon, I will long for even one of these “lap times”...so I do my best to
accommodate her. I hope and pray that we never find our cats in a
tragic circumstance like my friend and her dog. But I also know that
someday our pets will leave us in some manner...and we will grieve every
bit as much as she is.
How can we apply this to our daily
living? What can we learn from this about God’s compassion, grace and
mercy? Every day, we are presented with opportunities to either get
exasperated with something or someone...or to look beyond the
frustration and aggravation and see what lies underneath. We can be
impatient with children, a spouse, our friends, a co-worker or boss, an
elderly loved one, someone in line at the grocery store or driving down
the highway – or even a beloved pet. OR...we can stop and take a look at
them through God’s “lens”. We can look at them as I look at Lucy when
she is sweetly sleeping in a chair or snuggled against me in my lap,
purring softly. We can recognize that there is a “life”, and a purpose,
behind the façade of whatever irritates or challenges us in the moment.
We can stop and ask, “LORD, what are you trying to show me today?”
Rest
assured that we frustrate God on a minute-by-minute basis...yet He
loves us all the while and often looks past our shortcomings. We can’t
always see His “good” in our lives – especially when we are smack in the
middle of something rough – but it is there, just the same. God NEVER
leaves us. He never stops loving us or caring about us, and He never
wastes an opportunity to help us grow in our walk with Him.
I am
so very sorry for my friend’s loss...and the way in which it happened.
But I know that God will comfort her and guide her through the coming
days. He will also use this story to remind us of His love and care for
us, even in the tough times...and how we can pay this forward in our
own lives.
What is God showing you today? Where is He
demonstrating great compassion and care? Where can you share grace and
mercy with others in His name? Are you taking full advantage of the
opportunities that He gives you to do this? Isn’t it time you did?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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