When waiting on a railway platform in Norfolk, a friend directed my wife’s attention to a man standing on the opposite platform, saying, “That man is very hard to reach with the gospel.” The man in question was a gamekeeper, and with him was a very fine retriever dog.
My wife quickly crossed to the other platform and, while stroking the dog, said to the man, “What a beautiful dog you have here!”
“Yes,” was the answer in a rather unpleasant voice; “but take care he does not bite you, He is not fond of strangers.”
“Oh, he will not bite me. Dogs know who are fond of them. No doubt you are very fond of him?”
“That I am.”
“Do you feed your dog?”
“Yes.”
“Do you house him?”
“Yes, of course I do.”
“Does your dog obey your word of command?”
“Yes.”
“And would you be disappointed if he did not obey you?”
“That I should.” Looking proudly at his dog, and addressing him by name he said, “But Rover does love his master, don’t you?” He patted the dog’s head as it looked up trustfully in his face, “Would you be grieved if he followed a stranger?”
“Yes,” replied the gamekeeper, getting rather impatient at so many questions.
“Well,” said my wife, “what a lesson that dog teaches you! God has fed you, housed you, cared for you, loved you these many years, but you do not love or obey Him: you do not follow Him, He so loved you that He gave His only begotten Son to die on the cross for your sins and yet you have never loved Him in return! You follow a stranger. The dog knows its owner — you know not yours. Truly it was said of old, ‘The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib; but Israel doth not know, My people doth not consider.’ Isaiah 1:33The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. (Isaiah 1:3). My wife looked sadly, yet kindly, at the man as she uttered these words.
His eyes filled with tears, as he fixed them on his dog and in a choking voice said, “Ah, Rover, Rover, you have taught your master a lesson this day! I have been an ungrateful sinner, but by God’s help I will be no longer.”
That evening the gamekeeper was found crying from the depths of his heart, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” God answered his prayer of faith, and soon after this he was rejoicing in his new-found happiness, pardoned through the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear reader, are you rejoicing in the sense of God’s grace and goodness? Or are you still ungrateful for all He has done for you? May grace open your eyes to see how great is His love, for He gave His only begotten Son to be the Saviour of sinners. If you will receive the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, God will give you eternal life, pardon, peace and joy, with a home in heaven, in the Father’s house of many mansions.
ML 01/15/1961