Every morning

I wake up every morning in a bed by myself. Well, not exactly by myself. Pippy is there. Every night she curls up at the foot of my bed and immediately falls asleep. I never thought I'd be sharing a bed with a dog. I was always one of those "dogs stay on the floor" kind of people. That is until I met Pippy. She entered my life and all of my rules about dogs flew out the window. Dogs riding in the car to run errands? Yes. Pippy does that almost daily. Dogs on vacation? Of course! Don't dogs deserve a break, too?And dogs wearing raincoats? Duh, if its raining!
As you can tell, Pippy changed my perspective on a dog's place on the family tree. And she changed my sleeping arrangements. I went from sleeping solo to feeling out-of-place if my bed isn't filled with my furry friend.
As usual, this morning when I woke up Pippy was there, right where she always is, but still I felt all alone. My mind started wandering to marriage and life-long companionship - male companionship. Don't get me wrong, I love Pippy and our sleeping arrangement but sometimes, many times as of late, I have been wanting to add to the arrangement. I've been longing for a husband.
It was still pitch black outside my window as my longing once again set in. God promises to give His obedient children the desires of their heart. Well, this is the desire of my heart but it feels like a million miles away from my reality. There is no prospect of a companion in sight. I survey my life and I don't even see a glimmer or a spark of any possibility for a mate in the future. As I laid there this morning thinking on my singleness and my husband-free bed I began to mourn the marriage I've never had and lament what I deem a grim future in the matrimony department.
And then God shook me. Well, not literally but internally. It dawned on me that I was already in the presence of all the companionship I'll ever need. And I'm not just talking about Pippy.
Every morning I wake up in the arms of Jesus. I may not be able to see them but that doesn't mean they aren't there. I may not be able to feel them but that doesn't mean they aren't holding on to me. Jesus has promised to never leave me. He made a vow, a commitment with the shedding of His blood. And He hasn't abandoned that promise. He is my constant companion all day, every day...even in the wee hours of the morning.

As I laid in my bed longing to be held my a man I could call my husband I was reminded that I was already in the arms of my most faithful lover of my soul. In the midst of my lament a scripture came to mind, a message of comfort in my time of need. I couldn't place it to a reference but I knew the words by heart, "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." 

It wasn't until I got out of bed and found that scripture in the Bible that the irony of it hit me. Lamentations 3:22-23. 

In the midst of my lament Jesus reminded me that He is enough to quiet my discontented heart. His arms are big enough, strong enough, faithful enough and loving enough to hold me every morning for the rest of my days. The union I share with Him is the only union I'll ever truly need and it is more than enough to satisfy my soul.

My lament of the morning has given way to praise for the privilege of waking up next to Jesus. Who am I that He should love me so much that He would keep me company every night and wake up ready to comfort me every morning? And who am I that He should have given me such a faithful little furry friend to keep my feet warm and toasty even on the chilliest of mornings? 

I am blessed. I am overwhelmingly blessed by the steadfast devotion of my Savior, the Lord of Lord and King of Kings, the One I wake up with every morning.