Feeding the dog

The other day my dad held out some food to our dog, Maddie, at the table. Maddie went nuts- she was ecstatic. Once the food was consumed, she quieted down and walked away. I made a comment, and immediately after saw the analogy. I jokingly said, "You ever wonder if she likes you or just the food you give her?".

What would make you feel loved? If your dog loved you for being you, OR if your dog simply enjoyed the food you gave her (not you), and got excited about you simply because she figured out the correlation between you with the things you give. That doesn't feel very loving, does it?

Let's put ourselves in God's shoes. God feels. It isn't too hard to wonder what he feels when all we want is more stuff or different stuff or comfort or some other relationship. I must ask myself, "What do I want more - God himself, or stuff from God?" He loves to give but he hates when the gifts become god in our life. We must always look past the gift to the giver and, as hard as it is, look to the most satisfying thing- more of God, even if it means giving up some of God's things, which it usually does. I'll leave you with a quote from Pipebomb.

"The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—
is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the
friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and
all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties
you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no
human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with
heaven, if Christ were not there?"
— John Piper (God Is the Gospel)