A few years ago, I went upstairs before my wife and Koosh, our little Shih Apso (Shih Tzo and Lhasa Apso combination), insisted on going with me. I turned the lights out and Koosh curled up close on the pillow beside me. After a while, I heard him on the floor dancing around, so I opened the door and let him out, thinking he wanted to go downstairs. I shut my eyes and, in what seemed like a moment later, opened them to find Koosh right beside me again. It was a bit of a mystery. Didn’t I let him out? I thought, but then drifted back to sleep.
I wondered, later on, if my wife had opened the bedroom door and allowed him back in.
“Yes. He was whining and scratching on the door,” she said. “He wanted to be with you.”
Koosh would often curl up in the chair beside me, glancing my way from time to time to be sure I was still there.
As I watched him, it occurred to me one day that God created so many things for us to enjoy, from magnificent ocean sunsets, brilliantly fragrant roses, dark coffee and succulent chocolate pie. We see aspects of His creativity everywhere we look, but when he created dog, He gave us real companionship and a picture of His heart.
How Can we Recognize God when we’re with our Dogs?
Like God, our dog delights to be with us
Like God, mistakes we make don’t change our dog’s opinion of us
Like God, our dog loves us in ways we don’t understand
Like God, our dog protects us (even from the walkers in front of our house)
Like God, our dog connects with us without words
Whenever I would grab my car keys to go somewhere, Koosh would always look up to see if he was going to be invited. One of his favorite things to do was to stick his face out the window as we drove along, lapping up all the sights and smells on the road.
He would do the same thing when my wife and I got ready to take a walk. If we picked up his leash, he knew he’d be going too and he’d tremble with excitement. Walks allowed him to be with us and to savor the riches of mailboxes and blades of grass.
What can we Learn from our Dogs?
Like our dog, we can learn to fully embrace each moment
Like our dog, we can learn not to worry about our next meal, but to trust our Provider
Like our dog, we can learn to be joyous about the simple pleasures of life
Like our dog, we can learn unwavering, long-lasting loyalty
Like our dog, we can learn to snuggle close to those we love
Just like our dog, we should always be eager to have fun and take advantage of opportunities to play.
Challenge
Be a student of your dog.
Watch them as they try to sneak into your car as you’re leaving. Notice how their eyes drop at the sight of your suitcase. Appreciate the gusto of their wild “kisses” when you return from a vacation.
As they jump in your lap when you open the car door, forget your perceived failures and bask in their unconditional love.
Even though you may think you don’t deserve it, realize they’re wagging their tail just because you’re you.
When you’re sitting by the fire and your dog jumps in your lap and follows you from room to room, realize that God wants to be with you even more than your dog does.
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” (Zephaniah 3:17 NASB)
Prayer
Lord, we thank you so much for Your creation. You have given us so many things to enjoy. Your presence brings us genuine joy. Thank You for giving us a splendid picture of Your love and Your delight in us when you gave us dogs. Help us appreciate the aspects of Your love we see in our dog’s heart.
And may we learn and apply so many characteristics of You we see in our dogs.
Amen.
Epilogue
Our faithful friend, Koosh, passed away a few years ago.
Our new buddy is Jack, an Australian Shepherd puppy. He’s now a year and four months old. Bred to herd, he’s quite different than Koosh in many ways, but not in the ways described above.
Jack is a challenge, but we love him so. My wife was captivated by his eyes, and we got him last year when he was just a few weeks old.
Aussie’s need plenty of exercise. That’s our biggest challenge. If Jack gets bored, he’ll open our Amazon packages before we can get to them. 
Other posts in our series In the Moments:
Sorrowful, Yet Always Rejoicing
Exploring Grace and Joy together
Quiddity. It Could Change Your Life
Finding Joy in Love and Relationships
When I don’t Feel God’s Loving Kindness
Experiencing Completeness in Christ
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
Nonfiction books by the Author:
Because joy is rooted in God and is eternal, it doesn’t ebb and flow with the waves of circumstances. In fact, as we grow in our understanding of joy, we can even experience it more acutely when life is hard. Why? Because God uses trials to conform us into the image of Christ. With this awareness, which gives us glimpses of God’s greater purposes, we rejoice because of His masterful work to free us from needing anything but Him.
For these reasons, and many others, joy in the Lord is commanded in scripture. It’s not just a good idea, it’s vital to our journey as human beings. Rhythms of Joy
Novels by the Author:
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in an old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains
Please Check out the Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.