Receiving the Gospel Like a Dog By Anna Hahn
M
y family’s three terrier mutts get plenty of “Gospel.” It didn’t end when they were rescued from the shelter and adopted into our home. No—Scribbles, Tagger, and Boaz soak up so much undeserved love, grace, and pampering that all but the most die-hard dog-lovers would probably roll their eyes and call them spoiled.
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As Christians, of course, we get plenty of Gospel, too—grace that continues even after our adoption into God’s family through baptism. These incredible blessings far surpass the extra treats and snuggling that our dogs receive, of course. Before we go on about the true Gospel, however, let’s take a look at our dogs’“Gospel” and the way that these loved-up pets claim each promise as their own. Dogs certainly believe and hold on to their simple “Gospel” blessings in an incredible way. Undaunted and expectant confidence is infused into every “Gospel-ized” dog. They are confident we will feed them, let them outside, play with them, and scratch their tummies. Whatever magic word we say—“treat” or “walk” or “squirrel”—they will persistently bind us to it, making whatever uproar or clamor is necessary until we let them have it! They expect good things from us. At the foundation of this confidence and persistence is trust. Dogs recognize that they are pretty much helpless without us. Tagger can’t open the door to let himself inside from the pouring rain. Scribbles can’t scoop her
