Kissing Our Wounds

Our dog, Jack, and I had an unusual incident happen between us this week. We were getting ready to go for a walk but there’s more to this endeavor than merely putting on his harness and going out the door. There is the ritual playtime.

Jack has a great assortment of toys: monkeys, pigs, squirrels, a dinosaur and his favorite of all, Big Giraffe. When it’s time for a walk he will run to the toy box and grab an animal toy. Then he zooms down the hall to make a flying leap onto the bed. My part is to try and get the animal. He’s quick as lightening so it’s a challenge but after much tussling I get the toy and toss it down the hall. He runs after it with great speed and brings it back with another jump onto the bed where I must again try and get the toy away from him. After three such jumps and runs He is ready for his harnessa and off we go.

The above mentioned unusual incident happened on the second run. Jack was running down the hall and I was in pursuit.. I saw the chosen animal of the day and bent to grab it. Jack was grabbing it at the same time. My hand came between the toy and his teeth. Yeeeouch!!!! Did that ever hurt! Jack stopped, frozen, startled at my sudden call of pain. Blood oozed. I went to the bathroom to wash the bite wound, apply neosporin and put on a bandaid. When I was ready to go for the walk I turned around to see Jack sitting with his head hung low. I knelt down. “Oh Jack,” I said as I hugged him and twirled his ears looking deep into his soleful eyes. “It was an accident. Don’t worry my sweet boy.” On and on I consoled him until he seemed okay enough to go for our walk.

We went to one of his favorite wooded paths with a great field to one side. For an hour Jack scampered around sniffing and trotting here and there. He was happy and in his element. I was just as happy. To me, the accidental biting episode was over, but for Jack, as I soon discovred, it was still on his mind.

Arriving back home I removed his harness and got him a treat. I sat down and Jack came near, sitting and looking. I reached out to tickle him under his chin but he pawed my hand then flipped it over with his nose. Doing so he looked at the bandaid, looked up at me, then licked the bandaid just once, his eyes fixed on me, soleful once more. A flood of emotion rose within me as I acknowledged his concern, assuring him once more that I was okay. For me, the incident had passed, but for Jack, it was still on his mind. My sweet boy.

I thought about his giving my wound a kiss for a long time. He, a dog, cared and showed kindnesss and concern. Jack’s action brought about a swell of great joy as I then rolled around a thought in my mind: if my dog can care, consider, and respond so lovingly to my wound, how much greater does my Heavenly Father regard my pains of both body and heart when I am wounded? It is endless joy when we realize the beautiful and eternal truth of Lamentationss 3:22-23, The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning (NLT). Isn’t that a magnificent truth? Every morning, whatever may wound you that day, the Lord will show His love and comassion and mercy towards you. With a love even sweeter than my Jack’s love — the Lord will kiss your wounds.