How many of you have a dog at your house that is a pet? I had one when I was growing up, a collie named Lassie. She was a real friend and companion, and we had lots of fun together. Once I read a story about another dog named Lassie. Let me tell it to you.
Jane Austin lived on a farm and grew up with her pet collie dog named Lassie. She was a beautiful, big dog that had been given to Jane as a birthday present. When Lassie first came to Jane’s house, she was only a puppy. At the time of this story Lassie was about two years old, so she was full-grown and already very smart.
Jane loved Lassie very much, and I’m sure Lassie loved Jane, too. Sometimes Jane would pretend Lassie was sick. Then she would dress up like a nurse and try to give Lassie “medicine” out of a doll’s baby bottle. But Lassie was too smart for that. She did not care if Jane tied her up in bandages, but she did not like taking the “medicine” out of a bottle... unless it was something that had lots of sugar in it.
One summer morning Jane carried some food out to Lassie’s dog house. Lassie never was tied up, because she was an obedient dog and usually stayed close to home. However, this morning Lassie was not in her dog house or anywhere in the yard. All day Jane watched for her and called for her, but Lassie did not come home.
“Mother,” Jane said after supper, “I’m getting worried about Lassie.
She must be getting awfully hungry by now. What if she’s hurt?”
Mother tried to comfort Jane and told her to wait until morning to see if she would come back.
Morning came, and still there was no sign of Lassie. They spent most of the morning calling other farms in the area, and even the sheriff’s office, to ask if anyone had seen her. But no one had.
“I’m going to check the woods, Mother, okay?” Jane called to her mother that afternoon. She knew that Lassie liked to roam in the nearby fields and woods on their farm. Jane thought that Lassie might have gone there to chase rabbits and might have had an accident.
“That’s a good idea,” replied Mother, “but don’t be gone long.”
Jane walked back on the lane toward the woods. She carried some dog biscuits with her. Every few minutes she would call, “Lassie, here Lassie.” But there was no happy barking from Lassie in answer to Jane’s call.
After walking for about half an hour, she began to get a little discouraged and wondered if it were really worth going farther into the woods. Then she decided that she would walk 300 more steps before turning back.
“One, two, three...” she counted. Every 25 steps she would call out again, “Lassie, here Lassie.” One hundred, then two hundred and finally three hundred steps passed, and Jane stopped. She decided to turn back.
Has anyone ever told you that you are lost and that someone is looking for you? We read in the Bible: “For the Son of man [the Lord Jesus] is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:1010For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10). Each of us is “lost” in our sins and on our way to hell. Although God loves us more than we will ever understand, He hates sin, so He cannot accept us into heaven with our sins. The Bible says it this way: “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23).
Being lost in our sins is a very serious matter. There is nothing any of us can do to get rid of them. We need help! God in His love for us has provided that help. He sent the Lord Jesus Christ into this world to die for sinners. Isn’t that wonderful love! Jane loved Lassie very much and searched and searched for her. But God’s love for us is so much greater that He sent His only Son into this world to “find” us.
The Lord Jesus not only came to “find” us, He also provided the way for us to be saved. On the cross He was punished for the sins of all who will believe in Him. Now, those who accept Him as their Saviour can know that their sins are completely washed away. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).
Won’t you let Him find you? You must see that you are lost and cannot help yourself. By turning to the Saviour, who is waiting, you can be saved. “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6).
Turning around to go back home, Jane heard a faint animal cry somewhere on her right. It frightened her a little to hear something like that in the woods. Then she heard it again, a little different this time. It sounded somewhat like the whine Lassie sometimes made in the middle of the night when she was lonesome.
Hearing it again, Jane called, “Lassie!” and got an answering yelp. She ran toward the sound, through the trees and bushes. As she ran she kept calling “Lassie, Lassie,” and the answering barks and yelps directed her. Finally, breaking through the underbrush into a small clearing, she found Lassie lying on the ground with her front paw caught in a steel trap!
If you are still lost in your sins, Satan has caught you in his trap—a trap from which you cannot escape by yourself. Lassie could not escape from the trap that had caught her.
She would have died there unless someone had found her and set her free.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who can release you from Satan’s trap. But just as Lassie answered Jane’s call, you must answer the Lord’s call. Confess to the Lord Jesus that you are a sinner, and ask Him to save you. “For... Christ Jesus hath made me free from... sin and death.” Romans 8:22For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2). “But now being made free from sin... ye have... everlasting life.” Romans 6:2222But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (Romans 6:22).
“Oh, my poor Lassie,” Jane cried, kneeling down beside her. “Somehow I’ve got to get you out of this awful thing!”
Jane had not seen a trap like this before, but she worked with it until she finally got the teeth open wide enough to let Lassie pull her foot out. Lassie licked Jane’s hand and wagged her tail weakly to thank her. Jane fed Lassie the few dog biscuits that she had with her. Lassie was very hungry, because she had not had anything to eat for two days.
Slowly Lassie got up and they started to walk home. She couldn’t walk on her injured foot and had to limp all the way back on three legs. It took them a long time. Jane wished she could carry Lassie, but Lassie was too heavy for her.
At last they reached home, and how happy everyone was to have Lassie at home. After a visit to the vet, Jane was a real nurse for Lassie. She took good care of Lassie until her foot had healed and she could walk without limping.
Lassie seemed to love Jane even more than before and didn’t roam around as much. In her own way she seemed to be trying to show Jane how much she loved her by never letting her get very far out of her sight.
If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, are you keeping close to Him, remembering what He has saved you from? Lassie wanted to stay close to Jane because of what she had done. It cost the Lord Jesus His life to save us. Shouldn’t we be trying to please Him in everything that we do? By reading the Bible and asking His help in prayer, we can please Him. Are you doing this?
ML-07/24/1983