I must have had a moment of temporary insanity a few months ago.  I decided to become a foster for the Dallas Fort Worth Labrador Retriever Rescue Club.  My first foster dog arrived at the beginning of February- he was an emaciated, stinky, beaten down shell of a dog.  He lived with me, and my lab, Grace, for about three months.  In that time, he put on 30 pounds, reveled in the simple joy of squeaky toys, and became one of the most playful and loving creatures I have ever been blessed to know.  When he pranced out the door to go live with his new family last Sunday, I cried my heart out.  Grace piled all of his favorite toys by the front door and laid there whimpering for an hour, hoping he would come back.

I wonder if that's how Jesus sees us.  We are all emaciated and stinky compared to his holiness and grace.  We are beaten down - sometimes by other people, but usually by ourselves and our own sinfulness.  But Jesus sees past that - he sees us as whole, as loving, and as God's children.  And all we need to heal us is him - not 3 months of pills and mountains of dog food!  Just Jesus.  And as sad as it made me to watch my first foster dog go away - though I knew he was going to amazing people who would love him and care for him for the rest of his life - I cannot imagine how sad it makes Jesus to watch us walk away.  He has to watch us constantly turn our backs on him, and on what is good, pure and noble...to turn to things that will only hurt us.  And yet, he still loves us, and intercedes for us, so that God sees us as beautiful and whole.  I'm so grateful for the chance to love that dog back to health - but I am more grateful that I have a Father in heaven who loves me back to health every day.