How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, And grieved Him in the desert!
On Friday, my husband and I lost our beloved dog of over 14 years. We have had many losses this year and each has carried pain and a sad feeling of loss. Many thoughts have gone through my mind during this most recent loss. I have had many conversations with the Lord. As always, the Lord gave me some insight into His character.
Dogs are very special pets. They love unconditionally and seek to please their owners. All dogs want is love. When you come home, they greet you with a wagging tail. They will lay by your side or even right on your lap. Dogs will always look up at you with love and longing in their eyes. They just want to be loved. We all know how this feels, wanting to be loved.
When we lose a pet it’s like losing a family member. Losing someone close to you. There is pain, sadness, loss. It is the same feelings we have when we lose a sister, aunt, cousin, or friend. Sometimes that pain and sadness feels so deep and unbearable. We are devastated.
Talking with the Lord about this most recent loss, He enlightened me. I could almost hear Him say “that is how I feel when one of my children turns from me”. That was a profound thought for me. We all know the pain of loss. Now amplify that by ten, a hundred, or even thousands. This same devastating sadness and loss is what God goes through every time one of us turns from Him. When we turn from God, do our own will, God feels this pain.
God does not want to lose any of us. It is written: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV) When we, as sinners, choose sin and to turn away from God, He feels the same sense of loss that we feel when we lose a loved one. He feels this same pain.
Remember the Lord God wants only our love, and wants us to turn His way. When Jesus returns, all those we have lost we will see again. Let’s make sure that He gets to see each of us and that we do not cause Him the eternal pain of loss. The pain of the loss of a loved one here is temporary. An eternity with the Lord and all our loved ones is a beautiful thought! Turn toward Him!
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.