The beautiful campgrounds in the California mountains were closed for the season and the summer’s visitors were gone. Only the ranger and his young family remained. He was still working on the trees, trimming and cutting them and getting the area ready for winter.
The weather was still warm, and the ranger was off working. His wife and two small children were sitting in the bright sunshine, enjoying the beautiful day. It was a full-time job for the mother keeping two-year-old Jimmy out of trouble and danger. Fearless, he would dart about, usually followed by big Sheba, the family’s German shepherd dog. She was their guard by day and night. There were many coyotes in the area, and even by five o’clock in the afternoon they could be seen slinking through the bushes. Perhaps only Sheba knew just how much she was needed.
One afternoon Jimmy ran off toward a small rise which had a sharp drop into a dry wash. His mother quickly jumped up to go after him, only to freeze with sudden fear. A mean, grey coyote had shot out from the brush in a hurtling charge at Jimmy. In an instant it would be too late! But it was not too late for Sheba! With magnificent strength and speed she cut off the coyote, and the two rolled in a snarling fight. Quickly, the coyote ran off . . . for that time. Perhaps he was old and needed an easy victim.
Yes, he would wait and watch for another chance, and to the patient hunter the chance comes. Satan, our powerful enemy, also waits with tricks and snares that can lure boys and girls into his trap. But the Lord Jesus loves you and wants to give you joy, peace and the blessings of your sins forgiven and a home in heaven. Satan, like the coyote, would like to drag you away into his evil world to crush and ruin you forever.
A day or two later Jimmy and Sheba were playing in and out of a large dry culvert that carried rain water under the road. Sheba streaked through the culvert with Jimmy chasing her. He had not come out on the other side yet when his mother saw, again too late to help, the same grey ball of fur hurtling for her son! Would Sheba see? Could she possibly cut off the coyote this time?
Sheba did see the coyote! Just like our blessed Lord Jesus not only sees and knows our need, but “in due time” (at just the right time) He came down to save us from sin and Satan. Sheba whirled and leaped! Again the fangs of Sheba and the enemy clashed, and not an instant too soon! Jimmy was safe.
Are you frightened to know that you are hunted by the most deadly enemy in the entire universe? Except for the power and work of the blessed Lord Jesus who loves you, you cannot escape from Satan. You and I have our own wills that love to sin and do just what Satan wants us to do. Now Sheba had to rescue Jimmy twice. But by one complete work, the Lord Jesus broke Satan’s power over us. That power is sin. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)). God will send those who die in their sins to the lake of fire with the devil and his angels (Revelation 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)). Oh, pray that urgent prayer - “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:1313And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. (Luke 18:13)). Then believe that “faithful saying . . . Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)).
ML-03/22/1998