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There is a dog that frequents the same kennel for daycare as our dog. I'll call him "Spot" to protect his privacy as I didn't ask his permission to tell our story.
Spot is an older and smaller dog. He spends a lot of time hanging out with the kennel's staff at the front desk in the mornings before going back to play with other dogs.
When I first met Spot, he did nothing but bark at me, loudly and incessantly. I don't think I was special in that right, I think Spot has trouble getting to trust most folks. But in those first few meetings there was something about Spot that grabbed my heart. I didn't want his standoffishness to win.
Sure, he was cantankerous and didn't seem to want a friend, but I felt a connection anyway.
Time after time, when dropping off Howie, if Spot was behind the desk, I would talk to him. And time after time, Spot would bark loudly at me.
I didn't give up, however. I felt it was an odd spiritual mission. Sure, call me crazy.
Each time I saw him at the daycare, I would stop and say "Hi, Spot!" ... In reply, Spot would answer: "Bark, bark, bark, bark!" And he would go to lay down on his bed with a bone.
Months and months of the same ol' thing went by.
Until one day, when I stopped by, Spot didn't bark. He did peer suspiciously at me, but he settled for a few circles around the office and went to lay down with his bone.
This new trend continued for several more encounters, until surprisingly, one time Spot came to the half door that separates the office space from the lobby and was willing to sniff my hand. ... And then again, he paced, and laid down with his bone.
A couple times of this, and then out of nowhere, the next time I reached my hand down for him to sniff, his ears went flat against his head, he leapt excitedly at the door so he could touch my hand and he contentedly play gruffed while he let me pet his head.
I was shocked. The employee who was in the office was shocked. ... And I think Spot was shocked too!
After he allowed me to pet his head and scratch his ears, he contentedly raced a couple laps around the office and ran back to lay down with his bone.
Throughout this experience, there was no justification for my wanting to get to know Spot. I just thought that there was a relationship to be had and that somewhere deep inside he felt it too.
Friends ... Spot has got me thinking: I wonder if this is how God feels when he's patiently waiting for us to embrace the tender mercy, love and intimate relationship that is promised to us? Amen.
Devlyn Brooks is the CEO of Churches United in Moorhead, Minn., and an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America serving Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. He blogs about faith at findingfaithin.com, and can be reached at devlynbrooks@gmail.com.