Lost & Found-My Dogs Teach Me About God, by Tami Gilman

One morning I let my dogs out while I finished getting ready for work. But when I went to get my precious little bundles of fur back in the house, they weren’t there. No, my babies had decided that life in my yard was not exciting enough and decided to seek adventure elsewhere. I called their names, expecting them to run happily toward the sound of my voice. I am their mother, after all. I feed them, pet them and make sure they are well taken care of.



So I hopped in the truck and began looking for my delinquent pets, finally spotting one in the neighbor’s yard, but he took off like a shot when I called for him. Eventually, I got my babies rounded up and back home.

As I headed for work late, I thought about how ungrateful my dogs are for their good home. As I was stewing over this situation, I felt like the Lord impressed upon me, “Well, now you know how I feel. I care for my children, I provide for them, beckon to them and yet sometimes they ignore me. Sometimes they are even blatantly disobedient.”

I realized that my dogs running away resembles the disobedience we sometimes show toward God. He is our Father, Healer, Provider, Source of Strength, yet we often ignore Him or run in another direction. We seek refuge in someone else's yard. There are consequences for straying, but even when we are disobedient, God doesn’t leave us where we are. When we are willing, He picks us up, takes us home and puts us safely where we belong.

"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.” Luke 15: 4-6

Tami lives in Kannapolis, NC with her husband and 2 dogs. They enjoy the outdoors, good food and good friends.