God’s Unfathomable Love

​My husband and I recently adopted a puppy from our local Humane Society and I couldn't have been more thrilled.  She is so sweet and loves playtime and snuggles.  Because she's a puppy, she also enjoys being naughty from time to time.  She'll get into things she's not supposed to and she loves using our shoes as chew toys!  We've been working on training her so that we can minimize these bad behaviors but training is an ongoing (and sometimes tiring) process.  It requires consistency, time, and sometimes more patience than I currently possess.  Sometimes it seems as though she's choosing to do things she knows she shouldn't.  For example, she will grab a sock out of the dirty laundry bin and run away after making eye contact with us - frustrating!

​Boy am I sure glad that our God has more patience than I do.  As frustrating as training a puppy can be, it cannot even compare to the amount of frustrations God puts up with from us.  Over and over again I struggle with my sin.  I continually choose to do things that I know are wrong.  As Paul put it in Romans 7:19, “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.”  And yet, my almighty God loves and forgives me anyway.  He has blessed me far more than I deserve and continues to bless me even when I choose sin over Him each day.  He even provided the ultimate sacrifice for me to save me from my sin: the innocent life, death, and resurrection of His Son.  The amount of patience, forgiveness, and love that must require is unfathomable to me.  “And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.  God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him,” (1 John 4:16).

Lord, thank you for the grace and mercy you continue to pour out on me despite my sins.  Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to purify me of those sins and to suffer the punishment for them so that I do not have to.  Lord, I am truly sorry for my sins and pray that you continue to forgive me for the sake of your Son, Jesus.  Almighty God, guide me according to your path that my life might reflect your love and mercy.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

Taleya Williamson is the Operations Manager at New Beginnings.  She was born and raised in Puyallup, Washington and attended Evergreen Lutheran High School.  Taleya recently graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College with a Bachelors of Science in psychology with a minor in anthropology.  In her free time, Taleya enjoys spending time with her husband, David.

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