A gentle giant of a dog was found wandering on the outskirts of Chattanooga, Tennessee. She had thick white fur and the face of a German Shepherd. Her head hung low and there was the expression of fear and dejection in her big brown eyes. Who wouldn’t be sad and lonely, even if they were big, if they were deserted, in a strange place, away from their loved ones?
The person who found her also found a handwritten note crumpled up and tucked inside her collar. It read:
“Please love me. My name is Lilo. My owner is a homeless mom with two kids. She doesn’t have any money, and she can’t take care of me any longer. I am a good dog.”
The dog was brought with the note to the animal shelter. The people working there were deeply moved by the note.
Instead of putting the dog up for adoption like they usually do, they decided to search for the owner so they could reunite them. After several days, they were able to find the young mother. They told her they would try to help her find a place to live that would allow her to keep the dog. Until they found such a place, they would take very good care of the dog for her.
The mom came to the shelter to visit Lilo. As soon as Lilo saw her, the dog’s face brightened up, and she ran to meet her owner. The woman kneeled down, hugged the dog, and buried her face in the thick fur of the dog’s neck sobbing.
It was really nice of the dog shelter workers to reunite the dog owner with her pet and I hope they are successful in helping the family find a home where they can keep their pet.
The Longing of Our Hearts
“Please love me” was the heartfelt message on the note. Perhaps “Please love me” is the deepest longing of all our hearts. No one — dogs or human beings — likes to feel unloved. We all have a deep hunger to be loved and to love others. Love gives a genuine purpose to life. Without love, can anyone feel truly alive?
Since we live in a fallen world, there is a lot of failure when it comes to love. People look for love in the wrong places. They try to obtain love in the wrong way. They don’t always know love when they see it. They even try to live without love.
However, there is one Person that will never fail us. His name is the Lord Jesus Christ. He loved us so much that He left heaven to come into this world.
He knew that everyone had strayed into sin and shame. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)). To make a way for them to know His love, He gave His life at Calvary. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)).
We don’t need to say to God, “Please love me.” We might say, “Help me to know Your love,” or “Please forgive me,” or “Help me to love You forever.” But we never need to say, “Please love me,” because God has shown how much He loves us beyond all shadow of a doubt. He loves us so much He gave His Son to die for us.
Hopefully, a home will be found so Lilo can move back to her loved ones. The Lord Jesus has prepared a home in heaven where all those who come to believe in Him and love Him may spend eternity together. Those who have come to Him by faith will never be separated from His love again. Will you believe in the Lord Jesus so you can know the fullness of His love forever?