Several years ago, Cindy and I had the joy of bringing home a brand new Golden Retriever puppy named Katie. Her arrival came during a very challenging time in my life. I was searching for God’s direction regarding the founding of my own ministry to men. The thought of leaving a meaningful corporate position with all of the attending satisfaction and financial security was a scary one. I had grown accustomed to those regular paychecks. Where I was thinking of heading I knew a steady income would no longer be a guarantee. With mixed emotion I began to seek the Lord for guidance.
I will never forget one particular morning when I was calling out to the Lord in the solitude of our basement. At the time, little Katie had only been with us for a few days. She loved to follow me around, and that day she was wandering around the basement as I prayed. I remember standing by the back door -saying, “Lord, I just love you, I just praise you. You’re such a good God.” Suddenly I felt a warm impression on my left foot. As I looked down I saw that Katie had positioned herself on my slipper and was looking up at rne with those irresistible puppy dog eyes. I began to cry as I heard God whisper in my ear, “How does that feel?” It felt wonderful! Katie just wanted to be close to me. She wanted me to pet her. She was lying on a foot that could literally crush her. But that did not matter-she just wanted to cuddle. Then the Lord spoke to me again and said, “Vince, that doesn’t even come close to how I feel when you do that with Me.” I broke into an ever more intense time of weeping. I know that those thoughts could have never come from my own mind. I knew that I had heard from God. What a tender and powerful moment that was!
It is difficult to comprehend the extent to which God loves us and desires to be close to us. While my story about Katie may seem a bit silly, it represents yet another intimate moment with the Father. Most of us know what it is like to hold and cuddle a small baby in our arms. What a feeling that is when that small wonder clings to you and hugs you back! God longs to have the very same relationship with us.
D’Acchioli, Vince. Wired to Work! Huntington House Publishers: Lafayette, 2001, p. 44 – 45. http://ontargetinstitute.org/