“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NIV
Danni seldom sleeps with us. She may lay there a few minutes, then disappears until morning; choosing to sleep somewhere she can stretch out in comfort. She waits for us to be home and is exuberant in her greeting but when all are safely gathered in, she wanders off to one of her many spots. She loves you and showers you with affection but Danni does not cuddle for long periods of time.
This was not always the case. Danni’s confidence has grown over the years since her rescue from being abandoned in a motel room. She knows she is loved and that she has a family. She can be herself without fear of being left alone.
Our dogs are dependent on us for their safety, their food, their comfort, their love and many other things. Dependence is defined as requiring someone or something for financial, emotional, or other support; a person who relies on another.
We are a part of God’s family. He loves us and has forgiven us. We need not fear being ourselves as we can give it all to God knowing he will never leave us or abandon us (Hebrews 13:5). John 15:5 tells us to stay attached to God for apart from him we can do nothing. Acts 17:28 states, “For in him we live and move and have our being”. We are dependent on God for everything.
Our dependence on God frees us to live independently. We can go out into this world as Christ’s representatives having the freedom to express ourselves as God’s children. God is the vine, we are the branches, producing fruit for the kingdom.
Just Another Dog Devotion 