sunshine

We had a lovely women's conference at our church this morning with a friend of ours doing the Bible teaching. It was on "Choosing Cheer" and there were SO many great takeaways and perspective shifts. But the image she shared that probably blessed me the most was of her pup.

She spoke about how her older dog adores lying in the sunshine. How they know where to find him first thing in the morning, in the sunny square in her office.  By ten, the spot has moved to the stairs, and he lays there in the rectangle. Mid-day, there is no sun coming through the windows, and he restlessly awaits the sun-setting spots at the back of their house, contorting his body into whatever shape the sun patch is in so that he can soak up as much sunshine as possible. 

Nicolet spoke about how we often chase joy like this. We see patches of it in or near our lives and we go after it, only to find it move away a moment later. We go after it again and again, reshaping our lives to enjoy it's warmth, only to have it move away, and often times seem totally unavailable to us. 

I couldn't help but think, let that dog out in the YARD and she beat me to it : "The fullness of joy is found in HIS presence...instead of chasing sunspots, step out into the light and soak in the fullness of joy that cannot be taken away from you, that doesn't shift, that doesn't fade away."

What a GREAT image.  What a great truth. 

It's ridiculous to be chasing sun spots when the back door is wide open and He's asking us to know and experience and live in THAT kind of unwavering joy.  In this world of promised tribulation, we can be of good cheer. 

Sun-spots on the carpet are for the dogs. I don't know why I settle for so little, so often, when all that He offers is so radiant!