Our two new puppies, each about a year and a half old, couldn’t be more different.
Maizey, a lab mix, quickly learned to jump in the pool to retrieve a toy. But Tango, a terrier mix, just watches from the side, barking his head off. He doesn’t care to even put his little paws in water. But Maizey is never happier than when she is drenched.
Once, when I turned the water on to fill the pool, Maizey jumped into the deep end to try to catch the entire flow into her mouth. It was literally like drinking water from a fire hose! But she wanted it. She wanted it so bad, and nothing was going to get in her way.
Maizey was partaking of the water with all the gusto she had. She was full-on, living in the moment of the deluge, not to be distracted by my scolding or Tango’s barking.
I want to be like Maizey.
In scripture, water is a symbol of grace. Rebeccah passes the test as a suitable mate for Isaac because she not only offers water to his servant, but also offers to water his 10 camels. Do you know how much an average camel drinks?! Up to 35 gallons. That’s a lot of water hauling! And camels stink! I heard there was a Persian king who won a battle by putting his camels in front. The enemy horses ran away because of the smell! But Rebeccah watered 10 camels for a complete stranger. Rebeccah gave grace to excess.
I want to be like Rebeccah.
And my dog Maizey accepts grace to excess. She doesn’t let fear, or pride, or any other silly human habit get in the way of joyously relishing the gift of life. I believe that God wants us to give and receive his love and grace “to excess.” We’re talking about an endless supply! Why should we be frugal with it?
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