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This article is very painful
for me to write but there are times we can't learn from God, unless it hurts. I
was tired and worn out. I went straight to bed without reading my Bible.
Convicted, I laid down and went to sleep. While sleeping, I was very restless.
I had awful dreams all night. I was up and down. I just couldn't sleep.At 5 AM, I heard a dog bark outside of my
window. This wasn't any bark this was a familiar bark. I jumped out of bed
screamed to my husband and said Tony was left outside. I don't have children my
dogs are my children. When I cry, I cry with Tony. When I eat, I share with
Tony. When I'm happy, I play with Tony. When I read and study my word Tony is
by my side. I don't do anything without Tony. To some, Tony is just a dog to
me. Tony is my little world wrapped in a tiny little Chihuahua. All night I
thought my beloved Tony was at the bottom of my feet, under my covers, resting
soundly; all the while he was outside left in the cold. When Tony came in the
house, he was cold and shivering, and I had to warm him and cuddled him under
my arms. He whined and cried and fell fast asleep. While he was resting my
heart was broken, I could not believe I had left my beloved Tony out in the
cold. As I lay there still in disbelief, I heard a still small voice deep in my
soul, and it was the Lord. He spoke to me, He said "your heart is broken and
that is how my heart feels when you leave me out in the cold".As tears began to stream down my face my
heart went from broken to crushed. God was right, even when I think he's tucked
deep inside and everything looks and seems alright, I at times leave Him out in
the cold, and I don't even realize it.
Dread came across me as I remembered a day last winter when I looked out my window across the street. I saw my neighbors little Chihuahua standing outside the door barking as they left him out in the cold. I remember thinking I would never forget and leave my little Tony out in the cold. How awful those people were that they left their little dog out in the cold. Last night I found myself in the same situation. Not only did I forget and leave my little Tony out in the cold but I was who I judged.
The interesting thing that I found in the situation is that Tony forgot all about it. He plays with me again, he lays with me again, he follows me everywhere I go. When I turn around, he's there. It is as if it never happened. He has such unconditional love for me. It reminds me of our Lord, He says his grace and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. Once I ask for forgiveness, He forgets all about it, how wonderful is He.When I first got Tony, I had rescued him, he was left out in the cold by someone else. He was stuck in the bushes. He couldn't move and there was no way he could be in the place where I found him, unless the Lord placed him there for me to rescue. Just like the place where I myself was when Ifound the Lord. Tony was my little Ram in the Bush and so was the Lord. I did again last night what I did the day I found Tony, I wrapped him in my arms and cuddled him until he fell fast asleep. From that moment on the relationship between me and Tony began.Just like when the Lord wrapped me in His arms and cuddled and comforted me from the moment I realized He died on the cross to save me.
Last night when the Lord spoke to me and reminded me, of how he feels when I leave him in the cold, I found the Lord all over again. I realized what leaving God out in the cold means. And I believe that Tony being found in the cold, and again being left in the cold last night was not a coincidence. I believe this was a divine set up directly by God to show me how he feels when I and any of his children who love him and have a relationship with him leave him out in the cold. Did the Lord mean for Tony to be left in the cold; of course not that was my fault. However, as Romans 8:28 says "He will cause all things to work for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose." He turned this around so that God would get the Glory and now all those who read this will hear the heart of God, who we so often leave in the cold.
How do we leave God in the cold? We leave God in the cold, when we seek ungodlyadvice instead of our Father in heaven.We do this when we trust worldly solutions instead of wait on God. When we wake up and go about our day without spendingtime with God. When we watch things, go places and do things we have no business doing. When we see a lost soul and are too busy to share Jesus. When we see a hungry person, and we fail to share our food. When we see someone heartbroken, and we fail to share love. When we see someone homeless, and we fail to offer any help. When we seek more and more and enough is never enough. When we say we love others, but we hate in our heart. When we say we love God but do not accept his son, Jesus. The list could go on and on. Think about your own life in ways that you have left God out in the cold.
Last night I made a commitment to God that with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within me, I would do everything in my being not to leave my precious Lord and Savior out in the cold. He reminded me that He did not forget one tiny detail when He died on the cross to save my soul. We're not perfect you might say and yes that is true. However, day by day we are called to be more and more Christ like through the power of the Holy Spirit which through Him we can do all things. So since I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me, one of the things I vow to do is not to leave God out in the cold.
As painful as it was, I'm grateful my Lord arranged for my precious Tony to be left out in the cold. I'm grateful I had a restless sleep. I'm grateful my heart was broken, and that the Lord spoke to me, all to share his love and word through me. Not only did I vow not to leave God in the cold but my sweet little Tony has extra eyes watching him now and will be snug at his mama's feet every night, and we will be sure he is never ever again left in the cold along with my precious Lord. My eyes are open and now I see that my precious Lord means so much to me, more than my little Tony ever will.I don't want the Lord's heart to break over me all because I left him out in the cold and forgot about him because I was so focused on me.
In closing, I want to say I have judged others when I see them leave God out in the cold, failing to see that I have left Him in the cold at times myself in different ways. So quickly I forgot that pride comes before a fall, and we are who we judge. So I also learned never to look across the street without a helping hand; but to keep my eyes in my own yard because my precious Tony and Lord became that little Chihuahua I saw left out in the cold across the street.God Bless you all.
Carisa is a volunteer ministry counselour & mentor for womens facilities, Bible study groups, chapels, shelters & prisons. Focusing on recovering substance abuse and abused women.
The director of (Homeless People Matter to Jesus). Where basic needs of food, clothing and the Gospel are given to those on the streets.
Carisa's husband is a Minister of the Gospel & founder of Homeless People Matter to Jesus.
Carisa attends: Word Of Life Counseling Training Institute Wichita, KS
contact:
Po Box 65757
Orange Park, Fl 32065
carisasanders@comcast.net
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/?sk=ru#!/profile.php?id=100000173512308
Homeless People Matter to Jesus
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=140912812597220&ref=mf
Dread came across me as I remembered a day last winter when I looked out my window across the street. I saw my neighbors little Chihuahua standing outside the door barking as they left him out in the cold. I remember thinking I would never forget and leave my little Tony out in the cold. How awful those people were that they left their little dog out in the cold. Last night I found myself in the same situation. Not only did I forget and leave my little Tony out in the cold but I was who I judged.
The interesting thing that I found in the situation is that Tony forgot all about it. He plays with me again, he lays with me again, he follows me everywhere I go. When I turn around, he's there. It is as if it never happened. He has such unconditional love for me. It reminds me of our Lord, He says his grace and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. Once I ask for forgiveness, He forgets all about it, how wonderful is He.When I first got Tony, I had rescued him, he was left out in the cold by someone else. He was stuck in the bushes. He couldn't move and there was no way he could be in the place where I found him, unless the Lord placed him there for me to rescue. Just like the place where I myself was when Ifound the Lord. Tony was my little Ram in the Bush and so was the Lord. I did again last night what I did the day I found Tony, I wrapped him in my arms and cuddled him until he fell fast asleep. From that moment on the relationship between me and Tony began.Just like when the Lord wrapped me in His arms and cuddled and comforted me from the moment I realized He died on the cross to save me.
Last night when the Lord spoke to me and reminded me, of how he feels when I leave him in the cold, I found the Lord all over again. I realized what leaving God out in the cold means. And I believe that Tony being found in the cold, and again being left in the cold last night was not a coincidence. I believe this was a divine set up directly by God to show me how he feels when I and any of his children who love him and have a relationship with him leave him out in the cold. Did the Lord mean for Tony to be left in the cold; of course not that was my fault. However, as Romans 8:28 says "He will cause all things to work for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose." He turned this around so that God would get the Glory and now all those who read this will hear the heart of God, who we so often leave in the cold.
How do we leave God in the cold? We leave God in the cold, when we seek ungodlyadvice instead of our Father in heaven.We do this when we trust worldly solutions instead of wait on God. When we wake up and go about our day without spendingtime with God. When we watch things, go places and do things we have no business doing. When we see a lost soul and are too busy to share Jesus. When we see a hungry person, and we fail to share our food. When we see someone heartbroken, and we fail to share love. When we see someone homeless, and we fail to offer any help. When we seek more and more and enough is never enough. When we say we love others, but we hate in our heart. When we say we love God but do not accept his son, Jesus. The list could go on and on. Think about your own life in ways that you have left God out in the cold.
Last night I made a commitment to God that with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within me, I would do everything in my being not to leave my precious Lord and Savior out in the cold. He reminded me that He did not forget one tiny detail when He died on the cross to save my soul. We're not perfect you might say and yes that is true. However, day by day we are called to be more and more Christ like through the power of the Holy Spirit which through Him we can do all things. So since I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me, one of the things I vow to do is not to leave God out in the cold.
As painful as it was, I'm grateful my Lord arranged for my precious Tony to be left out in the cold. I'm grateful I had a restless sleep. I'm grateful my heart was broken, and that the Lord spoke to me, all to share his love and word through me. Not only did I vow not to leave God in the cold but my sweet little Tony has extra eyes watching him now and will be snug at his mama's feet every night, and we will be sure he is never ever again left in the cold along with my precious Lord. My eyes are open and now I see that my precious Lord means so much to me, more than my little Tony ever will.I don't want the Lord's heart to break over me all because I left him out in the cold and forgot about him because I was so focused on me.
In closing, I want to say I have judged others when I see them leave God out in the cold, failing to see that I have left Him in the cold at times myself in different ways. So quickly I forgot that pride comes before a fall, and we are who we judge. So I also learned never to look across the street without a helping hand; but to keep my eyes in my own yard because my precious Tony and Lord became that little Chihuahua I saw left out in the cold across the street.God Bless you all.
Carisa is a volunteer ministry counselour & mentor for womens facilities, Bible study groups, chapels, shelters & prisons. Focusing on recovering substance abuse and abused women.
The director of (Homeless People Matter to Jesus). Where basic needs of food, clothing and the Gospel are given to those on the streets.
Carisa's husband is a Minister of the Gospel & founder of Homeless People Matter to Jesus.
Carisa attends: Word Of Life Counseling Training Institute Wichita, KS
contact:
Po Box 65757
Orange Park, Fl 32065
carisasanders@comcast.net
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/?sk=ru#!/profile.php?id=100000173512308
Homeless People Matter to Jesus
https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=140912812597220&ref=mf
By Carisa Sanders
Left Out In The Cold
