The Yellow Lab

 

[Jesus said] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 ESV).

 

I recently saw a great story about a yellow Lab. She had three strikes against her. She had no microchip and no owner; she had broken bones and internal bleeding; and, she was laying in the middle of a busy Houston highway. You know what the outcome for that dog should have been. After all, three strikes and you're out. Yes, that's the way it should have been. But it wasn't. A man, Rickey Young, saw the dog and decided to do something about the situation. Risking his own life, he pulled over to the side of the road and tried to snatch the dog to safety. Video footage of the event showed the dog didn't want to be snatched to safety, and she initially retreated from him. It was only when the dog was tempted by the sandwich he was carrying in his pocket that she allowed herself to be captured. He then raced the dog to the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals where she was treated and, thank you very much, is doing just fine. I'm glad. I like happy endings!

Reading that story, I began to wonder why would a man risk his life to save a dog which really doesn't want to be saved? Young gave his answer to that very question when he said, "I'm just kind of a softy on that stuff." Good answer. Having read his answer, I wondered what the Lord would reply, if we were to ask Him, "Why did You send Your Son into this world to die for unworthy and unappreciative humankind? We had disobeyed You, rejected You, and had no desire to be saved by Jesus or anyone else. Well, we don't have to wonder about the Lord's answer. He tells us. No, He doesn't say He's a softy on humanity like Young did. The word "softy" doesn't even appear in the Bible. Even so, God is both direct and honest as to why Jesus came. He says, "My Son came so that all who believe on Him would not perish but have everlasting life."

So there you have it. This means there is only one question left: what will be our response to God's most gracious act? The yellow Lab is absolutely devoted to the fellow who saved her. Will we be equally devoted to our Savior? We can be. It doesn’t begin with a desire to be more obedient. It doesn’t happen because we fear for an eternity of punishment or darkness. It all starts with a recognition that the One who is holding out that bite of “sandwich” is the great and glorious Creator of all things. He loves us and wants to save us from certain death. Celebrate Him today!