The other week I wrote about my Sophie and how she begs to get up on the sofa with me. She loves it up there. Well, just a few days after that she decided to take a tour of the neighborhood without telling me. I mean she has gone to the neighbor’s yard on more than one occasion, but she always comes back as soon as I call her. I scold her and she does it yet again. But Tuesday a week ago I called and there was no Sophie. I walked up the alley in the freezing cold and no Sophie. I walked down the other end of the alley and still no Sophie. By now my pulse had quickened and my neighbor who lives directly behind me in the alley asked me what was up. By now I’m doing the ugly cry and headed to get my car.

She was headed to the bus stop to walk her little girl home and graciously put the word out that Sophie was missing. I climbed in my car and began riding through the neighborhood calling her name, crying as I’m driving. I finally pulled up to where the bus had just let off the kids and another neighbor and friend was walking her son home and she said they would get in their car as soon as they got  home and drive around too. They had just had to put their dog down the week before so their own wounds were very fresh.

So the search was on. Neighbor’s were in cars, walking back and forth down the alley and Sophie’s name was being called out all over. I finally parked and got back out on foot and that was when my friend and her little boy pulled up with Sophie in the car. She had taken a stroll all the way down the alley, across one of our main streets and been found by one of my neighbor’s sons and been reported to the clubhouse. So, they went and picked her up. The little toot!

I was so happy to see her that I didn’t even spank her this time. Usually if she goes to the neighbor’s and then comes back when I call her I swat her furry butt. (Not sure why because it sure didn’t prevent her from this excursion.) But this time I couldn’t spank her. In fact, I let her sleep with me. I was so glad to have the little ornery thing home that I let her sleep with me. I know, great parent I’ll make huh?

But I can’t help but remember that that is how my Father is. There are moments when I run off to my own whims and wishes and when he calls me and I come back he swats my butt .There are other times I can get lost farther, wooed in deeper, and before I know it even I’ve lost my way home. But he comes looking for me. And he calls out to me. And he will sometimes even send people into my path to speak to me. And when I turn my heart to him he grabs me and kisses me and holds me and puts me right at his feet. There is no brush off. There is no lecture. Sure there are consequences to my action. (Sophie was afraid to even go in the yard and pee for three days. Apparantly she too knew she was lost.) But even those can provide a hedge of protection for her future.

Often times we’re so afraid of the wrath of God that we think will await us if we turn our heart towards home, that we miss the fact that the love of God is longing for our heart to turn toward home. Sophie was so glad to see her mama. And her mama….well, her mama was so glad to see her. And I held her and kissed her and loved her and that is what our heavenly Father is longing to do with us. Don’t let your own shame cause you to miss how desperately He loves you. Because to hold onto your own shame and not receive His love is to say His cross wasn’t enough. And His cross was, is and always will be enough…