On April 6, 2008, pet owner Doug Dashiell was driving through Nevada with his three dogs on a weekend trip. He let his Siberian husky, Moon, out of his truck for a moment near Railroad Valley. Moon broke free from her chain and was last seen running in a northwesterly direction. After searching for Moon and contacting the local authorities, Dashiell returned home to Ely, Nevada, a distance of 77 miles.
After seven days, a resident of Ely found Moon searching the streets for her master. With the help of the veterinarian's tags on her collar, the Samaritan was able to reunite her with Dashiell. During her week astray, Moon had negotiated miles of desert, crossed the White River, and traversed the Ward Mountain range.
Moon returned entirely unscathed, except for a strong odor of skunk. Dashiell reported that he had all but given up hope for her safe return.*
Observe some lessons we can learn from Moon’s experiences…
There is within each of us a longing for home. We are never “at home” until we are united with our Creator, the Heavenly Father. Augustine once said, “God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you."
In the course of our journeys, each of us will “break off his or her chain” and become lost in the wilderness. "All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6). This is what the Bible calls SIN, and every one of us is guilty (Romans 3:23).
Our journeys cause us to "stink" of sin. But, we can wash away the stench in the baptismal pool. Ananias instructed Saul to "Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).
We are all wandering across treacherous terrains (cf. John 16:33), but Jesus has shown us the way to a Heavenly home. He said, "I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14: 6). In order to provide the way home, Jesus had to die on the cross for our sins (Ephesians 1:7).
We all belong to the same Master. "The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1). The Master wants us to come home. "[God our Savior] desires ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4).
We can all get home to the Master, free of sin, by: putting our faith and trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turning from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).
Are you lost in the wilderness and searching for home? Have you encountered "skunks" and smell of sin?
Jesus is The Way home! Won’t YOU follow Him today?
- Brian Overstreet & David A. Sargent; David serves as minister for the church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled Living Water." To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org
[* Information gleaned from http://www.elynews.com/articles/2008/04/17/lifestyle/life01.txt]
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