Shane and I live in Newfoundland, Canada. One day, we decided to take some time off and go hunting. As we drove along, we were watching the side of the road for animal tracks in the snow. Suddenly, Shane noticed a moose lying on the ice of the frozen Southwest River. He stopped the van and both of us got out to see what the trouble was.
Moose are usually very wary of humans, and we fully expected to see the magnificent animal jump up and run off. Instead, as we stood on the bank, it merely looked up at us and did nothing. Shane wondered if the moose had slipped on the ice and broken a leg, while I thought it had fallen through the ice and couldn’t get out. It was hard for us to tell, because the river bank where we were standing was very high and steep.
I fired my shotgun into the air. As the sound echoed off the river banks, again we both expected to see the moose move. Nothing happened. We wondered what could be wrong, but decided to get on with the hunting trip.
After hunting most of the afternoon without getting anything, Shane decided that we should probably start home and try some other day. I agreed, so we called our dogs and started home.
When we got back to the river, we were surprised to see the moose still lying in the same spot. We decided to wear our snowshoes this time so we could climb down the bank to the river. Just as we were going down the bank, a game warden arrived in his pickup truck. He had been told by the highway police about the disabled animal and it was his job to help the moose. Both Shane and I were happy to get a chance to go down to help too.
The game warden thought that the moose had probably slipped and fallen and could not get up because the ice was too slippery. Carrying a rope, a knife and a rifle, we scrambled down the bank. As we got close to the panic-stricken moose, it made a wild struggle to get up. After a number of unsuccessful efforts, it lay still, keeping a wary eye as we moved closer.
Every single one of us is fallen in sin. Like that moose, there is absolutely nothing we can do to save ourselves. The Word of God, the Bible, tells us that “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). There is not one single thing we can do to help our situation. In fact, God says that all the good things we do are about as useful as dirty rags. Totally useless! “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6). We need someone else to stoop down and rescue us.
Concluding that there were no broken legs, the warden felt it was his duty to save the poor creature since it would slowly die if left on the ice. He decided that the best plan of action was to go out on the ice and slip the rope around the neck of the stranded animal. This would be much easier said than done, because a fully grown moose is not safely approached and could kill a man if it charged.
After great care and several tries, Shane and the warden were able to get the rope around the moose’s shoulders, while I stood ready with the warden’s rifle. Finally, with all three of us working hard, we pulled the animal off the ice and onto the bank. Then the moose was able to get up on its feet. However, it still was not free; the warden’s rope was still wrapped around it.
We made every effort to free him from the rope, but the moose refused to allow us near him. We could not just leave the moose entangled with the rope. It was not until we had forced him to the ground with the rope around a tree, that we were able to cut the rope and allow him to go free.
Are you still not allowing the Lord Jesus to come near you? He wants to free you from the punishment that will fall on every sinner still bound in their sins. He died on the cross and shed His blood to wash away the sins of those who will accept Him. You cannot free yourself from your sins, but the Lord Jesus can. Why not say yes to Him and accept Him as your own Saviour today?
ML-08/28/1994