The Dog Who Took Shelter

Have you see on the news the videos of floods in various parts of the world this past week? One video particularly grabbed my attention. A dog was walking down a street carrying a bone in his mouth. He suddenly stops when he sees a wave of water rushing down the street! How unexpected! The dog had probably trotted down that street many times in safety, but now a torrent of water flowed swift and strong toward him. He stood frozen but when the water reached him it carried him along with its strength of flow. Amazingly the dog sees a wide window ledge and manages to take hold with his front legs. Grappling against the rush of water he pulls himself onto the ledge and sits watching in astonishment as the newly formed river keeps rushing along.

Later in the day, inflatable rescue boats were coming down the street, no doubt looking for people in need of escape. The dog was spotted. The boat came close and stopped. One of the rescuers managed to grab hold of the dog and bring him into the boat. When they returned to their headquarters the dog leapt out of the boat and followed them inside. A blanket was spread on the floor for him. The dog sat on it looking all around him. Whenever anyone approached he wagged his tail, appreciating any pats on the head and words of comfort. He had long ago lost the bone, but that now paled in comparison. All he then wanted was safety and comfort,

This reminded me of Job in the Old Testament. He suffered tragic loss in the death of his children, financial devastation, and painful illness. Even so, Job said of God in Job 23:10, He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold. James wrote about Job in the New Testament, Indeed, you have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. As the book of Job concludes we see that God blessed him twice as much as before. He suffered greatly, and some would say, unfairly, but he was blessed abundantly.

When we feel we are drowning in troubled seas, and all you can manage is to grab hold of a ledge of some hope, hold fast! The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). You will not be on the ledge forever. He will rescue. He will comfort. He will feed you with reminders of His love and help. Like the dog on the ledge who waited patiently, forgetting the bone once so important, may we also sit before the Lord, forgetting the tangible things here today and gone tomorrow, focusing instead on Him — just Him. When we know He will comfort, strengthen, and be our peace in the midst of any storm, all else becomes a bit trivial. Our Father truly does know the way that we take, and when we are tried and tested, learning that clinging to bones is temporary, but clinging to Jesus is for eternity, then indeed, we shall come forth as gold.