We got her about a week and a half ago, and our home is bouncy and furry again. We’ve been petless since mid-March, when our ten year old dog died just two weeks after our fifteen year old cat. We’ve been researching and checking the local shelters and praying, waiting for God to bring us the perfect dog. Or bring us to her. Whatever.
We didn’t want to rush into it, and we didn’t want to just get pets for the sheer point of replacing those we had lost. But we’re a family who loves having furry ones in our midst, so we knew we didn’t want it to be long.
And then, within a matter of days, we found a puppy and a cat who were each the perfect fit for us.
And each of them went from having a cage at the shelter, to having a home. They had toys and food and a bed just for them.
What they didn’t have, were names.
Oh, sure, the shelter had named them, but we knew we needed to name them ourselves. And it wasn’t easy. It had to fit our idea of the perfect name. It had to have just the right lilt and match their personality. It had to be something that felt right to each of us. We threw ideas back and forth, and disagreed and agreed. We changed our minds and changed them back. We said them out loud to see how they felt.
Names are always such a big deal in the Bible. We learn the meanings and we see names changed to reflect changed lives. Fascinating. And it’s a part of Scripture I’ve always enjoyed, focusing on the names and picturing the people and learning from them.
A name is very personal. Very important. And I love that idea that just as we pondered and contemplated and reflected on the perfect name for the pets we love, so does our Lord spend time thinking about us. Oh, He knows our names, of course. But He loves us and knows our personalities and quirks. And just as we love making plans for our new furry friends, providing for them and watching them grow, so does He revel in providing for us and being a part of our growth.
Rejoice. You are a child of the King, and He loves you as you can’t even imagine.
Light Expectations 