God and a dog

Meet Clyde:

 

Clyde was born on our farm and has only left once--for a trip to the vet. He looks like a Border Collie, but he's actually a livestock guardian mix. His mom is mostly Anatolian Shepherd with a little bit of Great Pyrenees thrown in, and his dad is a Great Pyrenees and Old English Sheepdog mix. Clyde is bigger than either of his parents, weighing in somewhere close to 120 pounds. His shoulder comes up almost to my hip.

He's a massive dog. His bark is loud and deep, his growl rumbles everything around him, and when he snarls and shows his teeth there's no doubt his warning is serious. If he wanted to do something, there's really nothing someone could do to stop him. He could tear me to pieces if he wanted to. I have no doubts that our home is safe when he's around-especially when we're not, because then he's on watch.

Thankfully, though, he decided a long time ago that I belong to him. He comes running to meet me every time I come home, his tail wagging and a big dog grin on his face. He wants nothing more than to be close to me, to spend time with me. In return for his loyalty and protection, he only asks that I love him. He's content to lay at my feet, even following me from room to room in the house. If an enemy ever showed up, though, I know he would jump into action to protect me. The giant softy at my feet would quickly become a ferocious defender.

In a lot of ways, Clyde reminds me of God.

To outsiders, God is scary and dangerous. That's for good reason, too--if He wanted to, as the Creator of the Universe and the Judge of all creation God could wipe us out in an instant and there's nothing we could do about it. As David wrote,

⁷ The earth trembled and quaked,
    and the foundations of the mountains shook;
    they trembled because He was angry.
⁸ Smoke rose from His nostrils;
    consuming fire came from His mouth,
    burning coals blazed out of it.
⁹ He parted the heavens and came down;
    dark clouds were under His feet.
¹⁰ He mounted the cherubim and flew;
    He soared on the wings of the wind.
¹¹ He made darkness His covering, His canopy around Him—
    the dark rain clouds of the sky.
¹² Out of the brightness of His presence clouds advanced,
    with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
¹³ The Lord thundered from heaven;
    the voice of the Most High resounded.
¹⁴ He shot His arrows and scattered the enemy,
    with great bolts of lightning He routed them.
¹⁵ The valleys of the sea were exposed
    and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at Your rebuke, Lord,
    at the blast of breath from Your nostrils.
(Psalm 18:7-15)

 That is a terrifying sight, and there's no doubt that the One described in that passage is a serious foe. The One who can lay bare the foundations of the earth isn't One who can be stopped. In Hebrews 10:31, Paul wrote, "It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

But there's an amazing thing that happens when you belong to Him. Instead of facing His wrath, we get His protection.

¹⁶ He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
    He drew me out of deep waters.
¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
    from my foes, who were too strong for me.
¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
    but the Lord was my support.
¹⁹ He brought me out into a spacious place;
    He rescued me because He delighted in me.
(Psalm 18:16-19)

This mighty warrior that is God? When you belong to Him, He just wants to be close to you. He wants you to love Him. The danger is gone, replaced by the One who will ferociously defend you.

I'll leave you with words from C.S. Lewis (because he could always say it so much better than I can):

“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"
"Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.”