I am just minding my own business — sitting in my chair watching Andy Griffith reruns while I eat the tasty dinner Lauri has prepared. And then… (cue Twilight music)… suddenly, I sense the presence of an alien life-form. The hair on the back of my neck stands up… chills roll down my spine… something is wrong… something is very wrong. I slowly turn my head because I am afraid of what I might see… Is something going to leap at me? Is there a creepy creature lurking? Should I just drop everything and run for the door right now? AND THERE IT IS… I SEE IT! Penny, our 2 year old Lab…standing 3 feet away, eyes locked on me as I eat — drooling as she covets my food. (Ok, alright… maybe I HAVE seen too many scary movies.)
That dog! You would think that we feed her once every three days instead of three times every day. That dog craves every morsel of food like a vampire craves blood or a zombie, brains! (Maybe I should get off the scary movie thing…) This dog is so nuts over food that anytime someone gets ice out of the dispenser in the fridge she comes running and begs for an ice cube, because I am convinced she THINKS IT’S FOOD!
How can a creature’s life be so obsessive over food? Penny has a comfortable home. She has a basket of toys. She has a large property to run. She has a long walk every day. She has a lake to swim in and enjoy. She has a family that loves her, plays with her and spoils her… and yet that dog is OBSESSED with food. She has a one-track mind for certain — when it comes to food she is NEVER satisfied.
I have tried and tried to break that dog of the annoying habit of lurking like a croc waiting to pounce on some poor little creature attempting to take a drink of water whenever she is around anyone eating food — but alas, to no avail. She just craves more and more food. Perhaps I should try quoting a little scripture at her like David’s works about God… “You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.” Psalm 63:6 NLT
Ok, I will admit it… I don’t think the words of David will work on Penny, but they sure ought to be true of me. It is so easy in our society for people to search for things that bring temporary pleasure to find satisfaction. Wealth, success, self-indulgences and worldly pursuits will always lead one to wanting more of those things. David had a different perspective. David had lived a life of extreme need at times, and then, also, had experienced a life of excess at other times. His experiences led him to the understanding that only God brings a lasting satisfaction to one’s soul — and so he sought to praise God with songs of joy.
Moses understood this too — like David, he had lived a life of richness at times and then at others a life of poverty. He wrote: “Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.” Psalm 90:14 NLT There is no greater satisfaction in the world than being in God’s unfailing love. Because when you are in his unfailing love (which is experienced through Christ) we have reason to sing for joy to the end of our lives… and beyond.
Now… I think I will wrap up this pondering and grab a snack — and you-know-who will expect one too!
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