Eyes of Love Upon Us

Earlier this week I was walking with our dog, Jack, in a particular wooded area he enjoys. I was on the path while Jack was beneath the trees. If I couldn’t see him, I could hear him moving amongst the undergrowth. I looked in the direction of whispering bushes at one point to see Jack’s head poke out of foliage before he leapt through and onto the path to join me. He had a spring in his step, tail up bouncing along, and his mouth parted in a smile, eyes shining in happiness. I suddenly realized I was smiling, too. It is always a great joy just watching Jack busy being happy. That’s when a thought came to me that surely, as I am happy watching Jack be happy, our Heavenly Father must also delight in watching His children be happy, too.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (I John 3:1 NIV). I love Jack with all my heart. Therefore, I love caring for him, making certain he has all he needs, and abundantly more. He needs food and water. I give it to him. He needs shelter. He shares our home. He needs warmth. He has a great, soft bed (plus shares our beds when he so desires). He needs exercise so he gets taken on walks. My mother and I make certain he has all he needs.

Does he need a zillion (slight exaggeration) toys? Does he need to go on a variety of walks from the woods to the fields to the beach? Those questions could be debatable but we love to give abundantly to him, just because we love him, and we love seeing him happy and cared for, enjoying what we do for him, so very much. Our Father loves to give to us abundantly above what we need, and He enjoys seeing us happy and cared for, enjoying all He does for us.

It touches me sweetly when Jack responds with nuzzles and eyes shining into mine, to express his delight in what my mother and I do for him, and in how we show our love for him. Can you picture the pleasure of our Father when He sees us truly enjoying all He does for us? Can you imagine how He, too, is sweetly touched when we tell Him how much we love Him, and when we thank Him for all He does for us? Giving and receiving, loving and being loved is a beautiful exchange experienced between two people, or a pet and a person, but most of all, there is a depth and height that cannot be measured when such love is exchanged and experienced between Father and one of His children.

Did you know that the act and heart attitude of being thankful helps one’s mood, decreases anxiety, reduces stress, and promotes an overall sense of well-being?

Oh, gives thanks to the Lord for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!” (I Chronicles 16:34 ESV).