Thursday, October 6, 2011

Man's Best Friend

Eleven years ago my cousin carried a small, cute as a button, boxer into my aunt’s house. She asked if we wanted a puppy. I, assuming she was giving it away, reluctantly agreed. The next day she brought the dog for us to take home and asked for $200. Well it was too late; we had already fallen for this puppy and paid the fine of ignorance. The whole way home he sat on my sons’ laps as we tried to figure out a good name for him. As we pulled into the driveway many hours later, we settled on the name Dozier, as in Bulldozer because he liked to run people over as he ran and played.

Last Friday at 4:30pm, I pulled out his collar and leash for the last time. We loaded the family into the truck, and I picked Dozier up and lightly placed him in the backseat with my kids. Off we went to the veterinarian for the final call. As we pulled into the parking lot, I took a deep breath and pulled into a parking spot. I allowed Dozier to walk around and sniff the ground as long as he wanted before slowly walking towards the front door. A friendly technician quickly escorted us to a room, and the doctor entered. He looked the old boy over and agreed with our decision to end his life as he was in pain, and there was nothing left to do to ease his suffering.

I put him on the table and the doc stuck the needle in his front right leg until he found a vein. As he began to inject the final sleeping medicine, we all looked Dozier in the eyes and told him how much we loved him and rubbed his head. The process only takes a few seconds, and he was at rest with no more pain.

Difficult moments like this remind us all that there is an end no matter how cute, cuddly, rich, or poor we are, there is an end. In that final conclusion, we will all face the Maker of all; it is only a matter of when. While Dozier will not have to take responsibility for his thoughts and actions on this green planet, I will. Ultimately, I will have to answer the most critical question in history, “Did you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?” Not, “Did you do good works?” but “Is Jesus Christ’s sacrifice covering your sin?” Anything short of a resounding “Yes”, no matter how much God loves me, He cannot accept my sin nature into Heaven. He is a perfect and righteous judge who can do nothing short of perfection including perfect love which mandates perfect discipline.

Jesus said, "Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
It is only Jesus Christ who freely gives rest to the weary. The world promises it, but you and I know it never satisfies.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
It is not morbid to speak of truth, uncomfortable, yes, but not inappropriate. "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need" Matthew 6:33. 

“Never the same Time, Never the same Place, Never the same People”



4 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing from the heart this very touching story. I had a dog - Tippy - pass away in my lap on a car trip as a child, and those memories are still with me. Pets are family. So is Jesus.

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  2. Thanks CJ...and amen to your comment, we are adopted into His family despite our sins, amazing!

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  3. I was very moved and motivated by what you wrote. Also, God spoke to me, and I pray I follow through with what He said to me, through what you wrote. Every blessing..

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  4. Whew. This brings back a few recent memories for me. I went through this just two weeks ago and two years before that. I may share it later. Although I don't agree completely from a contextual biblical stance, this is a good post.

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