love never ceases

Meg and I had to put down Dakota, our fourteen year old golden retriever last Tuesday.  The decision was exceptionally difficult, but necessary.  His leaving was sweet, as Meg and I lay close to his head while the vet administer a strong anesthetic while Dakota rested outside on our driveway. What so deeply affected me during his last days was the incredible love he has given us.  We were the center of his life; he craved our attention and returned it with total devotion. I wish I could love my neighbor as Dakota loved me; I wish I could make God the same center of my life.  Yet despite my failings, I know that God, through giving me/us his son, Jesus Christ, loves us each so very deeply, so very tenderly.

“It is true that there is nothing too great for God’s power; and it is just as true that there is nothing too small for His love!”    Rosalind Goforth

Cape Meares, Oregon coast

How do we nourish our souls?

An elder told his grandson, "My son, there is a battle between two wolves inside us all.  One is Evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority, lies, and ego.  The other is Good.  It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy, and truth."

The boy thought about it and asked, "Grandfather, which wolf wins?"  The old man quietly replied, "the one you feed."

This story speaks to the core of our being. It does not matter who actually spoke this story.  It raises a question that has resounded through the ages.  Do we feed evil or do we feed good?  And where do we find our nourishment?  I believe only God can fill us.  The two Scripture verses for this week are just a brief selection of the deep wisdom that comes to us through God's Word, as written in the Bible and as lived in Jesus Christ.