We adopted our youngest dog from a shelter, where she had come from an abusive background on the streets. Her distinctive long white hair and spotted face stood out to me. I asked her, “Do you want to come home with Nannie?”  She placed both of her front paws on me and looked me square in the eyes, and the rest is history.

It did not turn out to be an “everybody lived happily ever after” story right away. She was rebellious and stubborn. She was extremely energetic and feared being abandoned. The first few times we left her alone at home, she dug holes through our sheetrock.

Once, I baked an entire tray of bacon. I placed it out on the kitchen counter to cool. Sadie can jump 6 feet high. While no one was in the kitchen, she jumped up on her hind legs, grabbed the tray, and ate every single piece of bacon.

She is as fast as a cheetah. If you dared open the back door without having her hemmed up in another room as soon as she heard the door crack open, she would bolt out like an English Foxhound tracking a fox. Poor Bobby wore himself out hoping to catch her, but it was like trying to rope a greased pig.

After months of her rebellious behavior, Bobby and I thought, “This isn’t working.”   We considered taking her back to the shelter in moments of extreme frustration, but knowing what she had already been through, we couldn’t give up on her. We kept trying to help her overcome her rebellion and fear, making sure she understood beyond question that she was both loved and safe.  She could trust us. She would not be abused or go hungry ever again.

In the book of Jeremiah, God appoints the young prophet Jeremiah to call the people of Judah and other nations back from idolatry and sin. Continually through 52 chapters for over 40 years, Jeremiah followed the instructions of God, obeying sometimes unthinkable requests all out of God’s love for his children.

The people of Judah were like the Israelites Moses had brought out of Egypt; they were hard-headed and continually rebellious. Jeremiah warns them repeatedly of the destruction that will come upon them if they do not repent and return to God, but he also gives them a word of hope and reconciliation from God.

“’ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11

Sadie has been a member of our family for two years now. She no longer suffers from fear of abandonment. She no longer raids the trash can or kitchen counter searching for food. We can let her go outside unleashed, and she will either sit on the back porch or lie in the driveway until Bobby comes to take her for a walk. When we leave her home alone, she waits patiently on the couch next to the French doors till she sees us pull up into the car shed.

What happened?  Why did she change?

Consistent pursuit.

We established clear boundaries for Sadie and upheld them with steady, unconditional love. Consistently showing this kind of love within healthy limits creates a remarkable transformation.

God’s Love and Boundaries

God’s love for us is unwavering, but He does not tolerate sin. He calls us to repent and turn back to Him, making it clear that reconciliation is possible. Because He loves us, God sets healthy boundaries meant for our well-being. These boundaries guide us back to Him, ensuring that His love and care are always present, even as He calls us to change.

Are there areas of rebellion in your life you need to surrender to God? Is he calling you? Is He asking you to repent and trust him?

Trust Him, my friend. He will never leave you or forsake you. He will bless you and keep you and make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. He will lift His countenance upon you and give you peace.  (Numbers 6:24-26)