Dear Children,
As many of you know, we live in the country, and we set out birdseed for the many wild birds that live in our part of the country. During the cold, snowy winter, we sometimes put out scraps of food for the wolves, coyotes and foxes. And I’ve told you in other letters about Chelsea our dog and Skamper our cat. Sometimes when boys and girls visit us they ask, “Grampa, where did all these animals come from?”
Well, children, we read in Genesis chapter 1 of God’s Word, the holy Bible, that our God created all these animals and birds. Some of you grown-ups and children who read this Sunday school paper also have pets. And if you are like Gramma and me, you spend a lot of time training your pets to do what you want them to do and not do.
Many years ago when Gramma and I went to school, we had teachers to teach us, train us and also discipline us in the way that we should live. God has said in Proverbs 22:66Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6), “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” When a young person joins the army, the first thing they are trained in is discipline and obedience. Training is very important, not only with children and young people, but also with pets. I want to tell you about a well-trained dog named Agata.
She is a beautiful five-year-old golden retriever living in Colombia, South America. Since she was a little puppy, she has been trained to sniff out illegal drugs. The police use her in airports, bus terminals, schools or wherever drugs might be hidden. She always obeys the officer who is handling her.
Children, do you always obey your parents and schoolteachers? Remember, they are doing their very best to train you for the life you will live when you graduate from school. God’s Word gives us instruction in Ephesians 6:11Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1): “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” When they tell you to stay away from drugs, OBEY THEM! Illegal drugs are a big part of Satan’s tools that he uses to make children and adults sin. He does that so he will have them in hell with him where he will be forever with no escape! God says so in Revelation 20:1010And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10). See if you can find it in your Bible and read it.
Agata will never touch a drug with her tongue, because she has been trained only to sniff them out. If Agata came to your school, do you think she would find any illegal drugs? I hope not! Taking illegal drugs is a very terrible sin! The drug dealers in Colombia hate Agata. Why? Because she exposes their hidden sin! In fact, the drug dealers hate her so much that they have offered a huge reward of money to anyone who will poison her. Isn’t that sad?
When the Lord Jesus was here, listen to what the people said about Him: “They cried out, saying, ‘Crucify Him, crucify Him’” (John 19:66When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. (John 19:6)). Why do people hate the Lord Jesus? Because He exposes their sins! And so one of the followers of the Lord Jesus sold Him to His enemies for thirty pieces of silver. Then His enemies took Him and nailed Him to a cross at a place called Calvary. And while hanging on that cross, the Lord Jesus looked down at all those people whom He loved and said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:3434Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (Luke 23:34)).
Those wicked drug dealers cannot hide those drugs from Agata; she will find them wherever they are. And you and I cannot hide our sins from God. Hebrews 4:1313Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:13) says, “All things are naked [unhidden] and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Children, do not die without having your sins forgiven by the Lord Jesus. We can go to heaven without a lot of things, but we cannot go to heaven without having our sins forgiven. What a wonderful thing it is to know they are forgiven and to have peace with God!
You’ll be glad to know that Agata is still alive and sniffing out drugs. Her enemies haven’t been able to poison her. One of the officers who guards her says, “We take special care with her food.”
The Lord Jesus loves you and wants to forgive your sins. Then He will lovingly care for you until it’s time to live with Him in heaven.
Lots of love,
Grampa
ML-10/26/2008