The God Who Stays ... by Paula Short

“You’re such a blubbering mess; Jesus has us,” I say to my dog as her tongue sticks to my arm while driving. She’s been riding in the car with me several times a week for a few years now. And she’s not a fan of car rides. She throws fur, drools, shakes, and yes, when she’s close enough to me, her tongue sticks to my arm.

The funny thing is that she’s such a blubbering mess when we’re in the car; I always try to comfort her with soothing words and a pat on the head. This frequently brings to mind characteristics of our loving Father.

Do you ever get discouraged, thinking that maybe God could possibly get fed up with our imperfect lives and leave us, too? I have to be honest—sometimes the thought pops into my head.

However, when we dig deep into Scripture, God’s breathed words are a comforting reminder for us that no matter who’s walked out on us in our lives or who has left us, there is one who never will.

Let’s look at some of the many characteristics of God:

God is with us—Isaiah 41:10 NIV. God is our Refuge and Help—Psalm 46:1 NIV. God is Loving—1 John 3:1 NIV. God is Faithful and Righteous—Psalm 145:17 NIV. God is Forgiving and Merciful—1 John 1:9 NIV. God is Powerful and Mighty—Psalm 24:8 NIV. God is Holy—1 Samuel 2:2 NIV. God is Sovereign and Just—Psalm 103:19 NIV. God is Good—Psalm 34:8 NIV. God is Compassionate and Gracious—Psalm 103:8 NIV.

It’s priceless and light-hearted that while in the car, my dog, who does not know who God is, always brings to mind characteristics of our faithful benevolent Father, our God, the one who stays and never leaves. May these words bring you peace and comfort too.

Paula Short

Paula considers herself an ordinary Christian woman traversing through the wilderness of an everyday mess. She is a retired Social Worker with a BSW who lives in Western Pennsylvania with her emotional support dog, a spoiled rotten amusing beagle named Little Girl. She has two adult daughters off doing their own thing. Please visit her blog at: https://simplycoffeeandjesus.com/