Lessons form your dog

Revelation 5:14 (ESV)

And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Your dog can teach you to love God more. Look into your puppy's eyes. He might have something to say.

Four lessons you can learn from my pooch:

Loyalty

Celebration

Protection

Affection

We are all pound puppies. Scraggly, sinful, smelly and in need of rescue. God looked down at our “waggely” tails, wet noses, and flea-filled fur. He released from our captive cages, vaccinated us from sin, and adopted us into His family. Mutts no more. He even gave us pedigree-papers we can present at the Pearly Gates.

We can learn a lot about loving God from our furry friends.

Loyalty. Your doggy sits at your feet, follows you everywhere you go, and sleeps at the foot of your bed.

God deserves no less from us. Clinging close to Him is what we were designed to do. Believe in Him. Rely upon Him. Never, never leave His side.

Celebration. My Dog Diamond would practically leap out of her skin when I return home. When I would retrieve my mail from the street which takes less than a minute she would act like I had been gone for eons. Jubilant jumping, licking, wriggling and barking accompany her glee at my return.

Do you rejoice in God’s presence? Are you glad to spend time with Him? Celebrate your Heavenly Father with a grateful heart.

Protection. Even a Chihuahua will vigilantly guard his Master; fiercely growling and howling his tiny head off. The squirt has no idea that even a child could squish his bony body with a sneaker. Dogs zealously guard their owners. They patrol the yard, circling the perimeter, listening intently for the slightest unfamiliar sound. If a stranger approaches, they yap incessantly to keep danger at bay.

Do you guard God’s Name and His holiness? Or do you sit idly by and let a corrupt society continue to contaminate and defame His Name? Love Him enough to hate evil.

Affection. Our Diamond would go to anyone that came to visit her and be ready to be snuggled. She would lick my hand and strokes my leg with her paw, gazing at me with adoring brown eyes. Just like cuddly Diamond, worship is our expression of affection toward God.

The most common word in the New Testament for “worship” is proskuneo. This word occurs 60 times in the New Testament, 57 of which are in the four gospels, Acts, and Revelation.  It originally carried with it the idea of subjects falling down to kiss the ground before a king or kiss their feet.  The literal definition means “to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand, to fawn or crouch to, homage (do reverence to, adore): worship.” The elders in heaven worship as God intended:

Lick His Hand in worship today. Lie in the lap of His presence without hurrying away.  Give your pup an extra pet today. Learn to love God from your furry friend.

Dear Lord, we thank You for the pets that You have given to us. Help us to learn the lessons from them of Loyalty, Celebration, Protection and Affection.   Help us to love You like you deserve this week. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.