We got a Great Pyrenees puppy in June. Solid white, fluffy fur, and big black eyes — he’s cute (and he knows it). We call him Snowball. Now that he’s eight months old, he’s entered his teenage years and everything looks good on the other side of the fence.
Last week I opened the gate when Snowball was close by. He shot out of that gate like he was at the Kentucky Derby. Down the road he flew straight to the busier farm-to-market road. I was freaking out.
I got in my car, leash in hand, thinking I would be able to corral him easily. Just call him and he’ll come running? That was not the case. I would head one direction, Snowball the opposite. Here I am a grandmother trying to chase a puppy in open land. It was a sight to behold. A couple stopped, taking pity on me and rendered aid. The three of us had no success. Then a Deputy Sheriff stopped and gave me treats to entice Snowball back to my car, but Snowball would have nothing of it.
That’s when I realized Snowball didn’t know his way home. I got in my car and slowly drove to our county road, honking so Snowball knew it was me. Snowball started following my car. Then the Deputy Sheriff pulled up behind Snowball with his lights on. Within a few minutes we were home, mission accomplished, and Snowball once again was behind a shut gate. I thanked everyone who helped. In the span of 45 minutes I managed to walk enough steps to fill my annual Fitbit quota.
What happened with Snowball made me realize we are all prodigals at one time or another and many of us lose our way home. The Bible talks about that in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). The point of the parable is that God desires to bring those who are lost (sinners) into a relationship with Him, and He rejoices when they repent with a heartfelt godly sorrow. This parable shows us the heart of God our creator who is waiting and longing for those of his children who have turned away from him to return back to him. He will abundantly pardon no matter how many times we sin and make mistakes.
God is good and loves us more than we can ever imagine. Amen!
Debby Efurd is co-founder of Cary John Efurd Ministries of Pittsburg, TX. She has been a contributor to Bound for Life and written numerous articles published in LifeNews, Christian Post and the Baptist Standard, and is the author of Go Tell It! available at Amazon.com Learn more about Cary John Efurd Ministries by liking our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CJEMinistries). Debby can be contacted at caryjohnefurdministries@gmail.com. Feel free to comment on her blog, The Second Mile, at www.debbyefurd.com .
Tagged: Bible stories, dogs, God’s love
