One spring day as Alice was driving her car along a busy road, she noticed a small group of people huddled around something lying at the side of the road. Passing by, she could see it was a dog. She quickly slowed down and stopped on the shoulder of the road.
As she walked back to the group, some of the people moved aside so that she could see. Lying there was a medium-sized brown and white dog, very thin and bleeding from a hip wound. It was obvious she had been hit by a car. She had no collar, no tags, and no one in the group had ever seen her before. One woman finally spoke up saying that there was a vet’s office about eight blocks away.
Alice carefully picked up the limp, unresisting dog and carried her to the car. When Alice arrived at the vet’s office, he examined the dog right away.
“This dog is badly injured and needs surgery,” he explained. “Will you be able to pay for this?” he asked.
Alice had a sinking feeling since she only had a few dollars with her and knew she could not possibly afford all the care the poor, injured stray dog needed.
Without the money to pay, Alice gently gathered up the dog and walked back through the waiting room. Just as Alice was leaving, a man in the waiting room told her that there was a free clinic in the city that might be able to help her. Alice gently laid the dog down on the front seat of the car and hurried on to the city. Later she said, “I remember her lying there with her head in my lap. Even though she had this hurt look in her eyes, she gave herself into my care with complete trust.”
Have you given yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you completely trusted Him for your salvation? Without Alice the dog probably would have died as she would have been unable to do a thing for herself. Without the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you will die in your sins... and after death there is the judgment (Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27))—punishment for the sins you have committed.
Alice finally found the clinic—the place where she hoped the injured dog could receive free care. The lady at the desk explained to Alice that at least a small amount of money was required to see the vet, but Alice did not even have that much. Poor Alice—there she stood holding the 30-pound dog she had rescued from the side of the road. Alice suddenly burst into tears. “This dog will die if she isn’t treated right away,” she tried to explain. The dog turned her head and weakly licked Alice’s cheek.
How discouraged Alice was as she just did not have enough money to pay a vet. Just then a lady walked into the waiting room and quickly figured out the situation. “Come with me,” she said. “I am Ginny, the manager of this clinic. We’ll do our best to save her.” What a relief it was to Alice finally to find someone interested in saving the dog’s life.
The Lord Jesus Christ offers salvation free to anyone who will accept it. He does not want our money (or anything else from us). God’s free gift is eternal life which we can have because of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ginny was not sure they could save the injured brown and white dog. How thankful we can be that there is no question if the Lord Jesus can save us—we know for sure, through God’s Word, that He can.
Dr. Frank, the vet, worked on the dog for several hours. Even then he still was not sure she would live.
Ginny checked on the dog a few hours after surgery. She opened her eyes, thumped her tail feebly and then went back to sleep. “You should be a happy dog,” remarked Ginny, and right then the stray dog had a name—“Happy.”
If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, are you happy? We sometimes sing a little song:
Happy is the boy (or girl) who believes in Him.
Happy is the boy (or girl) who is cleansed from sin.
But do we really act as though we are happy? Psalms 144:1515Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord. (Psalm 144:15) tells us, “Happy is that people whose God is the Lord.” If we really belong to the Lord Jesus, His Word tells us we should be happy.
Alice returned twice to visit Happy. Each time she brought a little money to help pay for Happy’s care. Although she was not able to pay the whole cost, she did what she could. Without Dr. Frank, the dog would have died. How Alice thanked him for all his work and for his interest in the dog. Have you ever thanked the Lord Jesus for saving you from your sins—thanked Him for making you ready to go to heaven? “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:1515Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15).
Happy slowly recovered, first hobbling around on her three good legs and finally on all four. Annie, one of the workers at the clinic who cared for Happy, soon loved the good-natured dog. It wasn’t long before Annie had a shadow, because dogs can sense love and kindness. Annie was very glad when she was able to take Happy home. The sad, injured dog whose life had once hung by a thread now had a home to go to and someone to really love and care for her.
The Lord Jesus not only saves us from our sins and loves and cares for us here in this world, but very soon He is coming to take to heaven all who have accepted Him as their Saviour. In John 14:33And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3) the Lord says, “I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself.” Are your sins gone so that you are ready to go with the Lord Jesus to His home in heaven?
ML-12/04/1983