Tail-Wagging Joy

“One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.”
Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

Arise and shine, dear one! God is with you!

Recently we brought home a sweet little four-month-old puppy named Gracie! She’s a delight and she’s thriving with all the attention from the kids. She’s a happy pup, but we quickly discovered her affection for being in the same room as one of us. One afternoon, Gracie was asleep next to me on the couch, but when she discovered I had left to go upstairs, she soon followed me and whimpered at my bedroom door. When I opened the door, her tail wagged fervently in excitement. She loves being in the presence of her people!
Gracie’s longing to be with us made me wonder, do I long to be in the presence of the Lord like that? Does my soul whimper when I haven’t had time alone with my Father? Do I notice when I haven’t been intentional to read my Bible and pray?

David writes in Psalm 27:4 of his desire to dwell in the house of the Lord. He longs to gaze at the beauty of the Lord and seeks after Him. Psalm 42:1-2 echoes a similar theme, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

Sometimes when we seek the Lord’s Presence, our emotions are uplifted, but other times, we may not have that same response. It can seem like He is distant, and we don’t connect with Him easily. We can be assured, however, that God is with us, even when we don’t feel him. James 4:8 reminds us, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” The nearness of God doesn’t rely on our emotions. He’s still there and hasn’t left us.

When was the last time you longed to be in the Lord’s Presence, dear one? You don’t have to wait for church to find Him. He’s there with you, right now. Engage with Him, share your heart with Him, and spend time in His Word as you grow to know Him better. One day, the doors of Heaven will open, and we’ll get to see Him face to face! I imagine my excitement on that day will be even greater than Gracie’s biggest tail-wagging joy!