Phoebe and Tillie lived with a family in a town north of Seattle. The two dogs were best friends, and where one went, the other followed.
One evening their master had a big dinner party. Many guests were entering through the front door of the house. When no one noticed, Phoebe and Tillie slipped out the open front door and headed to the nearby woods.
Phoebe was a Basset hound with big floppy ears, a big nose, short stubby legs and a bulky body. Tillie was a sleek Irish setter with long legs and long, red hair.
It was Phoebe’s nose that probably got them in trouble. Basset hounds have a keen sense of smell. Often when they pick up the trail of a scent, they forget about everything else. Their nose is down to the ground, and they follow the trail wherever it goes. Most likely Phoebe was so excited about the scent trail, that she didn’t notice how far away from home and deep into the woods the scent trail led them.
Perhaps Phoebe was so focused on following the scent that she also didn’t see the cistern pit of an abandoned homestead before she tumbled into it. The cistern was once used to hold water. It had been partially filled up with rocks and was about four feet deep. It was actually a big hole in the ground. The sides were made out of concrete. Once Phoebe tumbled into it, she was trapped! With her short legs, there was no way she could jump out of it.
Tillie saw her buddy trapped. She could have just trotted off and forgotten about Phoebe, but not these two buddies. Day and night, she faithfully kept watch by the edge of the cistern.
When the dogs’ master discovered his pets were missing, he did everything possible to find them. He spent lots of time walking through the woods, calling their names, but they had wandered so far away they never heard him. He also put up posters about his lost dogs all over the neighborhood. He even contacted a local organization that assisted pet owners in their search for lost pets.
For seven days, the dogs were missing. During this time, Tillie faithfully watched over Phoebe trapped in the cistern. Then on day seven, Tillie darted off through the woods and ran across the backyard of a house. The owner of the home saw her run like a red flash through his yard and then suddenly turn around and run into the woods again where she disappeared.
The homeowner had heard of the two lost dogs and telephoned the organization that helped find lost pets. They called the dogs’ owner who immediately drove to the address where the red dog had been spotted.
He walked into the woods surrounding the house calling out, “Phoebe! Tillie! Come, girls!” After a short while of walking and shouting, Tillie came bounding towards him, overjoyed at being found. Tillie was found, but where was Phoebe?
He continued searching and calling until he heard the short deep bark of a Basset hound. He ran towards the sound and found Phoebe trapped in the cistern. He climbed down into the cistern and gently lifted her out. The dogs, with their tails wagging, were happy to be reunited with their master. He marveled at how faithful Tillie had been in staying with Phoebe.
Our hearts are refreshed by reading stories of faithfulness and love. Do you know the true story of the Saviour who came down here from heaven? It’s the greatest story of faithfulness and love ever told, and His name is Jesus.
His love for lost sinners was so strong that He came to this earth and willingly gave His life on Calvary’s cross. He knew sinners had fallen into sin, and in their own strength there was no way they could escape the punishment for their sins. In faithfulness to lost sinners, Jesus let Himself be nailed to the cross. “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Through His death, all those who come to Him to have their sins forgiven will receive the gift of eternal life.
Phoebe would have eventually died of hunger and thirst if she hadn’t been found in the cistern. Sadly, those who refuse Jesus’ offer and remain in their sins will eventually die in their sins too. They won’t have a happy home in heaven: No, they will be sent away to the place of everlasting punishment called hell. “These shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Matthew 25:46).
Do you know that the Lord Jesus is searching for you? “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). He is calling to lost sinners to come to Him to be cleansed from their sins. With their sins gone, they are ready to live with Him in heaven when this life on earth is over. Will you answer His call? Will you tell Him that you know you are a sinner and want Him to wash your sins away? He’s waiting to hear from you.
MEMORY VERSE: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3
ML-03/13/2016