Lessons from the Dog (part two)

"A dog's got a right to have a man around just as a man has a right to have a dog around."

One of my favorite episodes of the Twilight Zone is called "The Hunt". The story about an old man and his hound dog Rip. He and Rip love to go coon hunting in the evenings. Sometimes the old man's wife gives him heck for letting Rip come into the house. Until she is reminded that old faithful Rip once saved the old man's life.

One night the old man and Rip set out for the woods to chase down a racoon. The pesky critter leads them on a wild chase which ends up with Rip jumping into a pond to catch the coon. Rip disappears from his master's sight. Naturally, the old man jumps in to save his faithful companion. They both have now disappeared.

Both the old man and Rip would wake up on Eternity Road. They aren't aware of this yet. Not until they head for home and discover no one can see them. Once they get to the house, they see the old woman preparing to go to her loving husband's funeral. It is then when the old man realizes, yes, he is on Eternity Road.

As he and Rip travel down the road they come up to a gate with a gatekeeper; the old man assuming he's St. Peter.

"Oh, you can come on in", the gatekeeper exclaims, "But you can't bring your dog in. There's a special place for dogs just up the road."

Of course the old man wasn't about to enter without his faithful Rip. In fact, Rip begins to unnaturally growl as if something was wrong. The old man rejects the gatekeepers offer to enter, thinking he'd be better off somewhere else as long is Rip's beside him. They travel further down the road and meet up with a man who explains to him that the gatekeeper they were talking to earlier wasn't St. Peter at all, and that gate did not lead to heaven.

"Why Rip and I knew there was something strange back there. Who would ever think of separating a man from his dog. It's unheard of!"

The angel leads them up to the gate that enters heaven and exclaims,

"A man, he'll walk into hell with both eyes open, but even the devil can't fool a dog."

Now we all know, that our dog can't save us from going to hell. But, we do know, that mans best friend (next to Jesus) is his dog. One of the great lessons we learn from a man and his dog is

the act of obedience and faithfulness. One is always there for the other.

This also relates to our relationship with our Heavenly Father. He calls upon each of us to be obedient and to stay faithful to His Word. I can remember a time when I was going through an extreme hardship. I not only had to work my way out of it, but had to fully rely on God, and remain obedient and faithful to His Word and His promises. Sure enough, He got me through it. He never left me.

The greatest growth of our faith in the Lord is through our trials. We are not guaranteed a perfect life here on earth, but one fact still remains, He will always be by our side.

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.

For He Himself has said,"I will never leave you or forsake you."

So we may boldly say," The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

(Hebrews 13:5,6)