Finding a Good Wallow

Go ahead and call me biased, but I will still declare: 

My husband is a wonderful preacher, inspiring, passionate, exegetical, thorough.  

He was recently preaching on delighting in the Lord, (1 Chronicles 16)

and used the unusual analogy of his dog: 

Princess Buttercup.

 Buttercup is a yellow lab that adopted Brian as a stray puppy. 

Buttercup adores her family

 but the thing she loves best is wallowing in something she thinks is fantastic. 

We usually have other opinions of how fantastic her choice has been, 

but she is very pleased with herself. 

If you catch her in the midst of wallowing,

you will notice she is unconscious of you or anything else at the time,

just pleasuring herself in whatever she has found that she deems worthy of glorying in.

  

When the effect starts to wear off, you can be sure she will revisit that wonderful place

and glory in it some more, letting the aroma permeate her completely. 

She is glorying. 

She relishes every minute.

 

 It is not difficult to obtain a posture of spiritual wallowing,

delighting your self fully in the LORD. 

It is simply a matter of slowing down your pace long enough to do 

the most important thing,

sitting at the feet of Jesus, like Mary.

Time Alone with God should be so much more than a few moments of devotional thought.

Sitting at the feet of Jesus takes time.

  Time to unwind. 

Time to quiet my soul. 

To still my mind from outside thoughts and purely focus on Him.

Time to taste His goodness.

Taste.

Experience Him. 

Know Him.

  Who is this King of Glory? 

The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 

Adonai, Beautiful  One, Creator, Deliverer, Eternal, Faithful, Gracious,

Holy, Immortal, Jealous, King of Kings, Long suffering, Majestic,

Noble, Omnipotent, Prince of Peace,  Redeemer, Shepherd, Trustworthy, 

Unfailing, Victorious, Worthy, eXcellent, Yahweh, Zealous,

this amazing heavenly Father who knows you and calls you by name.

See.

Look around every day and deliberately notice.

  His creation. 

His people. 

Where he is at work. 

Marvel in the little things. 

Every good and perfect thing comes from above. 

The green grass, the song bird outside your window.

  A child.

  His handwriting is everywhere. 

1 Chronicles 16:8,9, King David proclaims:   

“Give thanks to the Lord.  Call upon His name, make known his deeds among the people.  Sing to Him, sing psalms unto Him talk ye of all his wondrous works.”

  Let your soul overflow in gratitude,

Let it wash away all the anxiety, bitterness, stress, weariness that can weigh you down. 

Be  lifted up, transported until you are truly wallowing in His glory.

Unabashedly delight in the lord.

Revel in His goodness,

let it permeate so deeply that everyone that we come in contact with inhales the aroma of

Emanuel.

When the effect starts to fade,

go back and find that place where you can glory in Him until your cup is overflowing,

spilling forth His goodness in all areas of your life. 

 Vs. 10:  “Glory ye in his holy name:  let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.”

 

Thanks to my husband’s analogy,

Buttercup and her fragrant romps are a continual reminder to me to practice my own wallowing skills.

                Just like the dog, I am always revived, refreshed, and contented after a good wallow.

                                         “ O taste and See that the Lord is good.” Psalm 34:8