My son and his wife asked us if we’d stop by their house and let out the dogs while they were out of town. We were happy to.
Just one problem.
They had recently gotten a new dog, a large bulldog that I had only met once. When I got to the house, he didn’t recognize me. Was too afraid of me to even take a treat from me. So needless to say, it took a few visits before he would let me get too close.
His “sister” knew me, but, as usual, had that far away look in her eye when “mom and dad” are away. She knows a sub is just a sub– and isn’t really happy until they get back.
Amazing how our own reflection shows up in the creation around us. Even our animal friends say something about us. These dogs are loved. But they’re not happy… and even a bit afraid, when “mom” or “dad” aren’t in sight.
So the prophet Isaiah lamented a long time ago, “Even the animals– the donkey and the ox– know their owner and appreciate his care, but not my people… No matter what I do for them, they still do not understand” (Isaiah 1:3).
Don’t want to make too much of what I see in our pets. Know you can only push it so far. But the fact that Isaiah indicated that our animals are sometimes closer to the truth than we are, says there are times to go to school on them.
Is it possible that one of the most important things we can learn from the pains and disappointments of this temporary life is that nothing… absolutely nothing… and no one… can take the place… and the space…that our Creator has built into our hearts for Him.