DOG

I've often joked that there is a reason that DOG is GOD spelled backwards. But in all seriousness, all jokes aside......I do believe there is a reason that DOG is GOD spelled backwards.
Dogs love you more than themselves. Their love is unconditional. Dogs aren't born mean, just like people aren't born racists---it is taught.
There is nothing like coming home and being welcomed by a very happy dog. You may have been gone two minutes or 2 hours....what happiness!!!! They are SOOOOO happy to see you. They shower you with love and affection.
I don't know about you, but there are days that I ask God---"Hey, where are YOU?" God doesn't leave us! I get preoccupied with life ....being busy and I don't always make time for God. If God was a dog, the moment I show back up--I can imagine God being overjoyed--whole body wagging, kissing me all over my face (if you allow it--if you don't, your missing out :),  jumping up and down.
When you are with others (dogs or people)--how present are you? How much attention do you give? How much attention will you allow back? We have all been wounded haven't we? So we put up these protective walls. Yes, we may block SOME pain with our walls, but we are also blocking out a lot of love! We get hurt and we guard against it from then on...never being willing to ever risk our heart again and that includes with God.
So often people do things and then God gets the blame or backlash. A Christian acts like a jerk or does something unfathomable....then all of a sudden God is to blame and you never want anything to do with God again. God has to be so grieved!!! God is grieved by the person who wronged you and God is grieved that you have walked away.
I have gotten mad at God and I'm grateful that God has BIG shoulders and can handle my anger or even my walking away. God is always right there waiting--not with a big stick to punish me, but with arms open wide to love me and to help me heal.
Dogs love even when we aren't so good to them. I don't know how, but they do. I don't know how God still loves us when we aren't so good to God, but God continues to love us.
It doesn't matter what you've done---it doesn't matter how far you have run---there is nothing too bad that will keep God from loving you. If you are running or hiding---I pray you will stop and climb into the lap of the Almighty and allow unconditional love to be poured out all over you!