Stirring Hope

I saw a story this week about an abandoned dog in the woods. A man and his wife were walking off the beaten path when they came upon a dog chained to a tree. He was skin and bones. As they came near the dog, he raised his head and stared at them. They spoke to him, and his tailed wagged. They were able to break the chain, take him to a vet, and now he is adopted into their family. I saw the before and after photo – magnificent! One happy and blessed dog indeed! An amazing rescue!

What particularly caught my attention about this story was the dog’s tail. It wagged. He had been chained to a tree in the woods. No food or water. Imagine what the nights were like; wild animals about, cold and damp. He could not have guessed what the outcome might be. Even so, he wagged his tail. The human spoke kindness and his hope was stirred.

There are times in our own lives when the darkness of our situations looks grim. We cannot guess the outcome of our difficulties or of our grief or of our own abandonment by those we love. It happens. Unknown wooded areas of turmoil keeps us tied to despair; but wait, was that a voice we hear? Yes! Why, it’s the voice of Jesus speaking comfort, reminding us that He will never leave us or forsake us. He tells that He is our helper so don’t fear what mankind can do to us. There are also His words that tell us to come to Him all who are tired and are carrying heavy burdens because He will give us rest. I particularly love it when He says to cast all our cares upon Him for He cares for us. (Hebrews 13:5-6, Matthew 11:28-30, I Peter 5:7)

When we read His words of love, they stir hope. His words remind us we are not alone. We envision being freed from chains of melancholy. He will hold us, soothe our wounds, and bring us into a place of security once more. We only need pay attention to His words of reassurance; then hope is stirred.