The guardian

     Today as I sat down to do my devotional, I had a memory dance across my mind from early this morning, and  to amusement to the gentleman beside me, literally laughed out loud.  I couldn't sleep last nite and wandered to the couch to watch some t.v., somewhere in all the "infomercials" I fell asleep -(no, I didn't give in and buy anything...all though some of those items sure were cool....), anyway, I fell asleep on the couch.  When I woke up, drowsily trying to figure out where I was, and why I was there, I noticed across the room, something "different" about my loveseat.   There were two ears, and a pointed nose, and a fuzzy face....sigh....Bosch....my German Shepherd.  She is a good girl, and knows she is not supposed to be on the furniture.....just as I "roused" up to scold her, she smiled at me....I swear....she opened her mouth, I guess to pant, but it looked just like a smile.  She started wagging her tail, looking at me that way,  as if to say "Oh thank goodness!  You are awake!!!  I have watched you all nite, standing guard, just waiting to see you wake up, and now you are, so....GOOD MORNING!"   I admit, I laughed out loud at her silly self, acting like a puppy again, and acting like I was the best thing she had ever seen.  She was so sweet, I totally forgot to scold her.

     As I enjoy the memory, I just had a couple of  verses  come to mind:

Psalm 139:1-3, “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” (NIV)

Psalm 3:5:  New Living Translation

"I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me."

     As I meditate on these, it has occurred to me that in the same way Bosch stood guard over me while I slept, anticipating the moment that I awoke and saw her and acknowledge her, so does God.  He is the one who never rests, never slumbers, never sees the "light" drop over the horizon and give way to the nite.  He is faithfully watching over me, ministering to me in my dreams, speaking truths that my soul needs to hear, comforting the wounds of this life, and preparing me for the journey ahead.  He is the one who tells my heart when to beat, my lungs when to inflate, and keeps satan's demons at bay, so that I can rest.  He is the one who whispers "good morning, my love", and awakes me with His gentle touch.  He is the one who is sitting beside me, waiting, anticipating the moment my eyes open,......the moment that I will choose how to begin my day.....will I see Him......will I greet Him and thank Him for His mercy and Grace....sigh.    Or will I yet again, grumble because I went to bed to late and don't want to wake up, ....will I jump up because I am already running behind some silly schedule that doesn't allow five minutes to greet the Savior of my soul.   He knows all, He knows before I even fall asleep what will occur in the morning, and yet, He is faithful, hopeful, that something will change within me to remember Him, or better yet, have Him be the first thing that comes to my mind, when my day begins.   I think about Bosch, how disappointed she would have been had I jumped up, fussing at her, starting both our days that way, how hurt she would have been.....I know how I would feel hurting her feelings, how much more should it bother me to hurt His?   

     Today, I am thankful for God speaking to me via one of His sweetest, gentlest creatures, Bosch, .....I am thankful that He doesn't base His reaction to me upon my actions, that he doesn't limit His love and patience with me, in the way that I "fit" Him into my silly schedule......but most of all, I am hopeful that I will see the way that I,  both  end and begin,  my day in a totally different light.....that I whisper good nite to Him, knowing that He is settling in to stand guard, and awaken with a good morning to Him, knowing that despite my faithlessness, He is always Faithful........onward to tomorrow's part of this journey.....but for the grace of God go I.......

“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)