Dear Readers, several years ago I heard a man share about a dog that his family once owned when he was a teen. The story unfolded into a powerful lesson on the grace of God toward us. The first time I ran this column, I received numerous emails, phone calls and letters of how deeply this message affected them, as it changed their view of our Heavenly Father. So, over the years, I like to share it again for any first time readers and as a reminder of God’s grace …
The man telling the story said the dog’s previous owners had badly mistreated it. Sadly, it had been beaten with chains, and although it’s physical body had healed, the animal remained emotionally scarred.
The man said the large dog was super friendly, but understandably, terrified of people.
He said when you called the dog it would come running toward you, yet still living in fear of how you would treat him it would stop about ten feet short of you, and began to whimper and scoot the rest of the way on it’s side in a posture of submission and fear.
The man said it was a pathetic sight, and also embarrassing when people would come over and see how the dog reacted to them, it’s current owners. So they always felt obliged to stop and explain, “we don’t beat our dog, it was the people who had this dog before us who mistreated him. We have had him for a few years now and are really good to him.”
Now, this man was a Christian but at the time he was struggling with understanding the grace and mercy of God. And because of his previous religious instruction he didn’t really see God, as His Heavenly Father, rather more of a stern, harsh, and critical God.
At the same time he was studying the Bible and seeing such verses as Hebrews 4:15-16.
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
But the man always felt unworthy to just approach God without first reciting all the things he had done wrong, begging for forgiveness, throwing in his prayer request and exiting quickly “before God could tell him what He really thought of him,” as the man stated.
Now that IS a pathetic example of a relationship for anyone to have, much less with our Heavenly Father. Yet, I believe most of have experienced this same attitude at times. Before and after we have received Salvation.
(I know I did!! It took some time for me to be delivered from stinkin’ thinkin’ and begin to gain revelation on the goodness of God. To take the focus off of men and look to Jesus, “the Author and the Finisher of our faith unto salvation. Heb. 12:2)
Back to the man’s testimony, he said that one day he was sitting on his back porch meditating on these scriptures about grace and thinking, “but how can this be?”
When suddenly his dog came running up to him wanting love and affection, but again, it stopped just short and began to wine and crawl the rest of the way in this ritual of defeat and despair.
Well, this time the man said instead of feeling sorry for the dog it made him angry and he yelled the dogs name loudly, “HONEY!” I wish that JUST ONE TIME you would come to me without acting like I was gonna beat you!!!!”
He said Immediately he heard the Lord speak to him in a soft, but firm voice, “And Andrew, I wish that just one time you would come to Me without always thinking I am disappointed or angry with you.”
The man said it forever changed the way he related to God, and his relationship began to grow by leaps and bounds in love and adoration toward God. And now he treasures his intimate times with his Heavenly Father.
Grace … unearned, unmerited favor. It’s getting what we don’t deserve, and true mercy is NOT getting what we do deserve.
Born again children of God, you are free to love Him. Run into His arms, jump in His lap and let Father God unleash His love and grace in your life.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons (and daughters) of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs- heirs of God and JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST …” Romans 8:16-17
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
