Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
"Coming Home"
Jul. 5, 2018
Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-every one-to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.
~ Isaiah 53:4-7 (ESV)
Dara Prak lives in Katy, Texas, with his dog Titan.
Well, better make that, Dara Prak lived in Katy, Texas, with his dog, Titan, until somebody stole Titan from his backyard. For a long time, Prak and his girlfriend searched for Titan. Even months after Titan's disappearance, Prak continued to carry his pet's leash and collar.
Then, about four months after Titan's abduction, Prak received a phone call from the ASPCA in Greenville, South Carolina. The voice on the other end asked if he was "missing a dog." At first he thought someone was playing some kind of sick joke on him. When he realized the call was in earnest, he was all ears.
In short order, he found out
1. Titan had been identified by his implanted microchip;
2. Titan had suffered some severe injuries to his left eye. The person on the phone said they believed Titan had been abused by the folks who stole him, or he had been attacked by other animals.
Finally, Prak found out that if he wanted Titan back he could make the 1,000-mile drive from his home in Katy to Greeneville, South Carolina.
Now this is where we interrupt the narrative of the story to ask if you had been Dara Prak, would you have made the 1,000-mile road trip back to reclaim your dog who had probably been abused? And would you be willing to pay Titan's large vet bills?
I can tell you what Prak did. He called up his girlfriend, and together they made the 16-hour trip to South Carolina. A video of the reunion taken by the girlfriend says Titan was appreciative, and the trip was more than worthwhile.
I have no doubt most Daily Devotion readers would have done the same. But would you have paid the few thousand dollars worth of bills Titan had accumulated? For some folks that's not an easy question.
Now the reason I ask is because once upon a time all of humanity was stolen out of the Lord's Garden. It didn't take long for the Lord to state He would do whatever was necessary to get us back from our kidnappers: sin, the devil, and death.
Whatever was necessary to getting us back was this: God's only Son had to come to earth as a human. True God and true Man, His life was dedicated to fulfilling the Law, resisting temptation, carrying our sins, and dying our death on the cross. Now, because of what the Christ has done, there is a reunion with all who are brought to faith in their Master and Lord.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, once I was lost, and now I am found. Keep me from temptation; stop me from straying, and let my loyalty and thanks always be directed to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
The above devotion was inspired by a number of sources, including one written by the team at Sunny Skyz on June 19, 2018. Those who wish to reference that article may do so at the following link, which was fully functional at the time this devotion was written: https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news/2860/Couple-Drives-1-000-Miles-To-Reunite-With-Dog-Stolen-By-039-Monsters-039-
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
At first he thought someone was playing some kind of sick joke on him.
No comments:
Post a Comment