Snuggle Up

This morning at 6:00am, our dog, Jack, and I were heading out the door for our first walk of the day. I let him choose the route. Sometimes he goes around the lake on the estate where we live, while at other times he enjoys walking around the neighborhood enjoying sniffing pursuits. It’s always quiet this time of morning, hardly anyone else around. We both enjoy this time.

When we get back home, I pour myself a mug of hot, steaming coffee, then I turn on the TV news to see what has happened in the world overnight. I sit in an armchair that’s wide enough for Jack to join me. He’s cute to watch. He stands and watches patiently while I get myself settled, mug of coffee on the little table beside the chair, plump up the back cushion, then ease myself in. Then Jack jumps up and snuggles himself in, too. This daily procedure, just the two of us, makes me smile every single morning.

Just this morning the thought hit me: if I feel this good when my dog chooses to have this snuggly time with me, how much more does Jesus enjoy when I take time in my day to snuggle in with Him? After all, He loves you and me far more than we can ever measure or even imagine. He adores it when we come to Him, getting close, listening to Him as He talks to us through the Holy Spirit whispering words of love into our hearts. He loves making the Words of His love letter, the Holy Scriptures, come alive and applicable to our lives today.

I enjoy giving Jack a hug. Jesus enjoys hugging us, too, in the sweetness of His presence with us. When Jack is scared by unknown noises that he can’t see, He always comes to me and sticks close while I tell him it’s alright, and I lead him away from what scared him. When we’re scared, worried about the unknown of tomorrow, or even the next minute, we can go to Jesus, just like Jack comes to me, knowing He will speak comfort to us, giving assurance that what scared us is in His hands and all will be well. He will always be our everything to get us through anything.

This morning I read, See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are (I John 3:1). Jack is my dog child and I will always, with love and gladness, do my very best for him. Jesus loves you and me. He, too, will always, with love and gladness in perfection, do His very best for us. His best knows no limits. The blessings of His goodness to us are full and overflowing,

Being reminded of this today; go ahead, snuggle in. Get comfortable and rest in the surety of His love.