Lavish Love

These two get me every time! They just love to be loved. Max (left) and Bertie (right) are 7 year old brothers. They are King Charles Cavaliers and, if you know Cavaliers, you will know they exist to be loved, and to love. They follow me around the house, they sleep under my desk when I work at home, they curl up on my lap at any opportunity. They joined our family in 2015 just after my eldest son got married. They are still with us as our youngest has left home. They fill a gap in the emptying nest – and were made to do so!

Interesting thing is that, like all dogs, then are so intuitive. They know when I am happy or sad and adjust their response to me accordingly. An excited wagging tail if I’m happy; a sorrowful look and a kindly sidling up to me, if I am sad.

Since covid my job has changed and I work at home a lot and have many online meetings and conversations. Max and Bertie are with me all the time and attend every meeting! It is hysterical to see how many other colleagues have their dogs in attendance! Just one post delivery to a house online and it can set off a barking chain like that in 101 Dalmatians!

I find the key to keeping these 2 in line is to not pay them any attention. I keep all that boundless joy and doggy love under wraps by basically ignoring them, not even calling their name. They are not keen, but they know that this is when I am busy and they need to keep quiet. But… it is such a thin border line, just slightly thicker than gossamer! All it takes is for me to look at them, or call their names, or move towards them, and that’s it. All restraint gone; they are all over me for love and fuss.

This got me thinking. I am surrounded by God, God who is Love (1). Not just someone who is loving, but Love Himself. He SO loved (2), lavishes His love on me (3), loves with an everlasting love (4). This love is never ending, never running out, never giving up (5). Jesus told the story of a farmer who had 100 sheep (6). He lost 1. He was so upset he left the 99 to look for the 1. He loved the 1. He found the 1. He was so happy that he held a party afterwards to celebrate. He had 99 – but he loved them all so much that he could not lose one of them. God, the God who is Love, is that shepherd. He left the 99 to look for me. He looks for you!

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn’t earn it, and I don’t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God (8)

So this got me thinking more. Do I restrain Him? If He is Love, desperately seeking me to lavish love on me, do I restrain this? Do I keep Him at arms length, turn my focus away from Him, not look at Him, not call His name? I know that there are times when He chooses not to speak. I know there are times when He seems to be silent or far from me. Just reading Pete Grieg’s God on Mute (7) honestly unpacks this. But I am not speaking of this. I thinking – am I too busy or simply unaware of this immense force of Love that is closer to me than a hair’s breadth?

I have decided I want more. I am choosing to pull back, take off the parking brake and let Him in. I do this practically by pausing and thinking about Him, becoming conscious of His presence. I set reminders on my phone. At lunch time it simply says ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. I stop, get up, may be go to the kitchen, flick on the kettle and then pause. I start to speak His name, maybe talk to Him, think about Him and how close He is to me. It may be a dark and rainy January Monday outside, but inside there are rays of hope and warmth. I let myself refocus on Him and, just like Max and Bertie, His love rushes in.

Sources

(1) I John 4 v 6

(2) John 3 v 16

(3) 1 John 3 v 1

(4) Jeremiah 31 v 3

(5) ‘One thing remains’ – Jesus Culture Writer(s): Martin H Frederiksen, Dallas Hendry Smith, Daniel William Craig, David Charles Benedict, Jeremy Hora

(6) Matthew 18 v 10 – 14

(7) Pete Grieg, (2007) UK: Kingsway/David C Cook – especially chapter 11 Exploring the silence.

(8)Source: LyricFindSongwriters: Caleb Culver / Cory Asbury / Ran JacksonReckless Love lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Bethel Music Publishing, Watershed Music Group, Universal Academy Records S.A. de C.V., Sadoc Vazkez Music Publishing, Inc, Sadoc Vazkez Music Records, Inc