Hello,
A couple of weeks
ago, I wrote about our new adventure into puppy-land. Well, we are fully involved in it now. On December 21st we drove to
Lexington, Kentucky and brought home our 8 week old Gordon Setter puppy,
McMahon.
He is adorable….and incorrigible. Despite the fact that he has to be taken
outside every 30 minutes to do his business, or else he does his business where
his business is not wanted…despite the fact that he whimpers and whines in the
middle of the night because of business urges….despite the fact that he gnaws
on everything (most interested in fingers)…despite the fact that he seeks out
electric cords so we can’t let him out of our sight…despite the fact that he
wants the particular toy that our 9 year old dog has causing an explosion of
growling…despite the fact he doesn’t sit still any longer than 10 seconds…despite
it all…….he still melts my heart.
It is funny to watch him hunt the chickens. He doesn’t know quite what they are, and he
often loses his balance when he tries to point.
It is fun to watch his ears, that are so big that they get half wet when
he drinks water, flop when he clumbsily runs.
It is fun to watch him pounce on a ball then bounce away from it and
pounce on it again. It is fun to have
him cuddle on your lap when he has worn himself out and sleep as though all is
right in the world. There are fun things
about him, but I have to admit, even if there were fewer fun things, he would
still melt my heart.
All in all, McMahon has helped me in things far deeper and
more important. I have come to believe
in and be thankful for the love that God has for me, despite who I am. I have come to see that if I, as a flawed
human, can find it in my heart to love one who is pestering as an eight week
old puppy, God just might be able to find the same in his heart for me, though
my unrelenting gnawing on him and his world.
What McMahon has stirred up in my heart has given me a clearer vision of
the Calvary cross, a love that led God to take on death so that death could
never take me.
I can’t tell you why McMahon melts my heart, but he
does. Likewise, I can’t tell you why I
(and you) melt God’s heart, but the cross is the proof that you and I do. I know that the next time that McMahon pees
in my house, even if he does so 7 times 70, I will forgive him. Makes me trust with surer certainty and more
appreciative thanks that God will do the same for me when I mess up, even when
I do so 7 times 70 times.
Ooops….McMahon has just wandered out of my sight!
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace, (ggap)
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
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