Neela

The following was shared with our college students last week via a weekly email. From time to time I might re-share some of those "thoughts" here. Enjoy.

If you walk in our house you’ll be greeted by two special mutts, Montana and Neela. Montana is a bit older, a bit bigger, and a bit sweeter than her little sis. Neela is the eternal puppy, little miss sneaky, pretty whiny.

Neela is the one who I will honestly say “gets on my nerves”. She tests my patience. She looks at me as if to say “I know what you want out of me...but go ahead a accept that I am who I am. And just to prove it I think I’ll poop right here.”

If you were at Emmaus this past Tuesday you heard that Neela was hit by a car Sunday and her leg was amputated Tuesday morning. Right now, Neela sits on my office couch just as happy as can be. Probably feeling extraordinarily special that she gets a seat of honor...and coupled with the sweet meds.

I’ve been hard on Neela. Really hard. Her attitude — if you can call it that — makes it hard for me to love on her but I learned through this process how important she is to me. She’s part of our family...and Tessa’s favorite dog to kiss. (Yuck.) I love her, not in spite of her issues…but simply because she is a part of me and my story.

I think that sometimes I’m like Neela to God. I’m just a little odd. Too confident in myself. I smell like I’ve rolled around in death. I’m maimed and wounded...and the scars are not attractive. But God doesn’t weigh my value by these peculiarities. He sees my desperate desire for living water and my need for a Savior and he delights in my vulnerability. My weakness does not repel him. In fact he loves me. And he loves filling my weakness with his love.

“How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! …Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.” Ephesians 1:3-6 as paraphrased in The Message

What a blessing he is!

Have you thanked your heavenly Father for pursuing you? For choosing you? For inviting you? Rest today in the truth that you are beloved, part of a divine family...and your wounds don’t scare him.

I know right?! He really is that good! - Justin