The title may have led many of you to rightly know that this is a story about our dog, Jack. I love this adolescent, sweet, lovable, crazy, energized dog — even when he eats garbage, but oh! how I wish he would end this curiosity! Whenever we go for our walks, I have to be on my guard, watching every sniff to try and pull him away just before he devours something disgustingly gross! Garbage!
At home he has clean food bowls filled with good food with proper nutrients. Even his snacks are healthy. (Never rawhide!!) His water bowl is kept clean with fresh water throughout the day. His blankets are washed each week. He is groomed and bathed. I even brush his teeth! In other words — he is clean and eats clean — so why on earth is he drawn to garbage!!!!!
As I look at my dear, crazy, Jack, I love him. How thankful I am that our heavenly Father loves us, too; even when in the midst of all He provides, at times, we too, choose garbage. The world is filled with the garbage of temptations that will entice us away from what is holy and good for us. We look, consider, and like a dog, we sniff and grab a chunk! Gross! Nothing this world has to offer can ever come close to the wholesome and delicious food our Father has to feed us. Still, we take the time to yield to the temptation. We devour what is not good for us.
Jack often vomits after his frenzy of garbage tasting. He is then lethargic. All is not well with him. It’s the same with us when we succumb to eating garbage. We lose peace because guilt sets in. We then lose joy because guilt has stolen it away. It’s not fun. It’s not healthy. It’s not emotionally uplifting. Why on earth do we take on gross habits like a dog and eat garbage!
Jeremiah knew the sheer delight and excitement of eating God’s food. He tells us in Jeremiah 15:16, “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Oh Lord God of heaven’s armies.”
Eat garbage — not a good result.
Eat God’s goodness — sheer delight.
Happy feasting!
