Most children like dogs, and many dogs like children. So you will be glad to hear a true story about a child and a dog.
Many of you have heard the story of Daniel and the lions, —how Daniel was put by wicked men into the den that the lions might kill and eat him. But God closed the lions’ mouths and kept Daniel from all harm until he was taken out of the den and again in a place of safety.
You remember, too, how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a burning fiery furnace, but came out again without even a hair of their heads singed, because God was watching over them.
God’s Word tells of many others who were protected from the plots of wicked men.
Dear children, God is just as able now to keep us from harm and dangers as He was in those days long ago.
This very year, 1931, a dear little baby named Jane, just old enough to toddle around alone, slipped away from home one day, unnoticed by other members of the family. But their faithful shepherd dog went with her as she wandered off to a vacant lot nearby.
Jane, wearied with walking, lay down on the ground and dropped off to sleep with her head pillowed on a rock.
Too young to know anything about danger, she had stopped close to a steam-shovel. Many of you know that a steam-shovel digs and scoops up the earth and rocks and empties them into a big truck, to be carried to some other place.
When Jane lay down by the steam-shovel it was not working. But her faithful companion knew that when the shovel started again, it would dig down into the earth where Jane was lying, and might shovel her up with the dirt and rocks, and perhaps kill her in doing so.
When the men came back the dog took his stand right in their way so they could not start the shovel.
The men called him and tried to coax him away, but he would not move. Then they tried to chase him away and he just growled. They threatened to strike him and he barked, but nothing they could do would make him move.
After nearly an hour of this, Jane’s mother came along. Then the dog wagged his tail and barked joyfully, for he knew that Jane was at last out of danger. Her mother found her right under the shovel and carried her away to safety. So the Lord allowed this faithful dog to be the means of saving Jane from a serious accident.
The Lord often preserves us from dangers as we go about our daily work and play.
But there is a more serious danger from which He wants to save us, and that is the punishment we all deserve as lost sinners,
Putting these two verses together, you will see that we all deserve death. But Jesus died on the cross and bore the punishment that you and I deserve. And He adds to the verse above, “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
If you love the Lord Jesus and believe that He died for you, this gift is yours.
ML 06/28/1931