My wife and I watched our friends’ three children for a few hours yesterday. We were also in charge of two dogs and a cat, but they could pretty much take care of themselves.

The dogs were resting in the living room when I saw our friends’ car pull into the driveway. As soon as they heard the faint sound of the garage door opener, both dogs were off and running. They immediately went from calm to ecstatic. Tails wagging and barking excitedly, they hurried to meet their beloved owners. The cat had no visible reaction to its master’s return.

When it comes to listening for our Master, why do we so often behave more like cats than dogs? Why are we so aloof and unresponsive? God wants our devotion for him to be seen in visible and audible ways. The Bible is filled with exhortations to listen for God and to respond to his presence in ways that will bring him joy.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Let us expect God to be with us today. And when we sense his presence, let us find the human equivalent of barking and tail-wagging. Let’s exalt him today!