Article March 21, 2022 Issue

Spiritual lessons from a dog

“Man’s best friend” can serve as a role model for us in our growing understanding of our relationship to God.

Hal H. Hoerner

As I lay in bed one morning asking God for guidance on how to pray for myself and my family, I looked down at our Australian Shepherd, Buddy, who was snuggled on my lap. I suddenly had the thought, “I need to be more like a dog!”

A dog relies on his owner for love, companionship, care, sustenance, guidance, shelter, and protection. And when a dog listens and is obedient, he appears happiest and experiences the most safety from harm. A dog trusts his owner. He has no doubt that he will always be cared for, and he often shows his gratitude in the form of a lick or a loving nudge.

I realized that this is the kind of trust we can have in God. As the creator of all, God is the source of every good thing. We can rely unreservedly on our heavenly Parent for love, companionship, care, sustenance, guidance, shelter, protection—and anything else we need.

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