What is it that keeps some from accepting the loving hand that has been offered? When will we realize our potential and begin to truly be free? Why do we run our lives in circles versus taking a more direct route home to God?

When you sing HU in loving prayer God can bless you with insights into these questions. The answers will bring more balance and harmony into your life. Read amazing stories of peoples experiences with the HU in “Testimonies of God’s Love”.

We recently adopted a rescued dog. She is about four years old with an uncertain history. It is apparent that she has had less than an ideal life. She can be very timid, lack self-confidence, and “startles” at unexpected events. We have been very patient with her, showing her much love and attention. Very slowly she is coming out of her “shell” and reacting positively to the love being offered.

Despite our best efforts there are still times she baffles us. We have never raised a hand to her, but as is the case with many dogs like this, she may flinch if we move too fast. We may go to show her affection and love, and she might withdraw and move away. At these times we may call her or attempt to move closer, but with every step we take to close the gap she may take one, two, or more steps away. As a Labrador Retriever she is bred for the water, but hiking through the woods revealed that she has never encountered small creeks or bodies of water. Despite wanting desperately to follow us, her uncertainty about something new, such as wading through shallow water, keeps her from taking the most direct path. She runs up and down the creek looking for narrow places where she may jump across without getting her feet wet.

Then there are the times when her fear and uncertainty disappear and she becomes the dog she was born to be. We see her full of joy as she runs around the yard playing with other dogs. Her potential emerges as she sets off running with abandon on a forest trail happy as any dog could be. We see the love in her as she turns and gallops full speed back to us after a whistle call. In these times we see her true self. Observing these inherent qualities manifest in her as she begins operating in the world as her true self opens our hearts, and we work to develop those qualities.

My heart opens with joy as I see her take those first tentative steps into the creek, crossing that unknown as quickly as she can. This leads to wading confidently up and down the creek and eventually to swimming as she explores new adventures. Noticing that she loves to follow deer tracks through the woods, we are working with her inborn scenting ability to follow tracks. Her anticipation and excitement grow as one of us will hold her as the other takes off running through the woods. Hiding hundreds of yards away over hills and behind trees is no deterrent as she follows the scent confidently and methodically. She will stay on track until we are discovered. We all react with joy at these reunions.

This four-legged creature is constantly reminding me of how we humans act in our relationship with the Divine. God loves us so very much, more than we could ever fully understand. God sees our full potential and knows intimately what we could become. God knows us better than we know ourselves and has His Hand out in love; His voice has been calling us home for a very long time. Our true nature is Soul. Soul is a Divine spark of God, created by God to express the Divine qualities that are inherent in us. We were created to experience and express truth, love, joy, and peace. The Divine qualities of wisdom and clarity are part of our true nature.

We hear God’s Voice calling us, but fear, uncertainty, or other distractions, keep us from drawing closer to God. When God reaches out a hand of love do we eagerly run toward the source to experience all that is being offered or do we hold back for some long forgotten reason? Instead of taking the direct path to God, do we act like our dog who runs up and down the bank of the stream looking for what we might consider to be a better way, resisting what is right before us?

God knows our true self better than we do. God hears every true prayer of our heart and has an open hand offering those Divine qualities that we know is in our heart of hearts. If we can see the potential in our pets and want to nurture and develop what is best for them, think how much more God can see in us and wants for us. At the Nature Awareness School our teacher, a true Prophet of God, teaches us to listen to that still small voice inside. We learn to draw close to God, to take hold of and accept His outstretched hand, and to stay on track and follow the direct path home to God.

Written by Paul Nelson