MY BEAST FRIEND

by Mike Sanchez
Every day without fail, when I wake up, I see Chuckie, my labrador, peeping from our window, wagging his tail in anticipation. I thought he was saying in his mind, β€œπΈπ‘‘π‘œ π‘›π‘Ž 𝑠𝑖 π‘π‘œπ‘ π‘ ! πΎπ‘Žπ‘–π‘›π‘Žπ‘› π‘›π‘Ž!” (The boss is here! It’s feeding time!)
But I noticed lately, Chuckie would also peep in our window even when he just ate.
After a while, I realized Chuckie genuinely longed to be with me.
Dog, when spelled backward, is God.
Father Richard Rohr, a globally recognized Franciscan friar and author says God reveals himself even in dogs. Dogs illustrate selfless love and the capacity for total presence.
Through my β€œbeast” friend, I feel a tiny but tangible way God looks at me.
Friend, God loves spending time with you. God loves speaking to you.
God also loves hearing from you. And He wants to hear your real prayers. Not just your recited and polished prayers. Even your messy prayers. Even your angry prayers. Even your confused prayers.
God is near to the brokenhearted and walks with us through our deepest valleys.
Spend time daily with our very best Friend– God who is unshakeable in faithfulness, and will never leave nor forsake us.
“𝐴𝑛𝑑 π‘ π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘’π‘™π‘¦ 𝐼 π‘Žπ‘š π‘€π‘–π‘‘β„Ž π‘¦π‘œπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘™π‘€π‘Žπ‘¦π‘ , π‘‘π‘œ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘£π‘’π‘Ÿπ‘¦ 𝑒𝑛𝑑 π‘œπ‘“ π‘‘β„Žπ‘’ π‘Žπ‘”π‘’.” π‘€π‘Žπ‘‘π‘‘β„Žπ‘’π‘€ 28:20