Don’t these Siberian husky puppies look cute? Ever since they were old enough to have their eyes open and to move around in their pen, they have been a lot of fun!
When they were really young, they all stayed very close to their mother. It seemed like they were always nursing to get as much milk as they could. Even when they weren’t nursing, they cuddled up very close to her body so they could keep warm in the cold winter.
As they grew, they started testing their legs. They soon learned how to get around in their pen. It wasn’t long until they found their mother’s food bowl and started helping themselves.
Then came the first time to go outside. There was snow on the ground, and none of them was very sure they liked this new experience! But it didn’t take them long to decide to do some exploring with short jumps away from the back door - that is, all but one. She was just too scared and sat shivering right where I had put her—waiting for me to put her back into that safe, warm pen in the garage.
Finally, after a few times of being put outside, she got brave enough to run around with her brothers and sisters. They had lots of fun running and jumping and romping around in the snow. They learned right from the start that their play area was close to the house.
Only when I took them on walks down the lane did they know that it was okay to leave their area. They would trot along following me, sometimes in single file. Along the way, I would stop so they could run up to the top of a snow bank and roll back down. They had so much fun! Often we’d walk over a mile, but they never stopped following me, their leader.
As they got older, I decided that I would have to sell all the puppies. Having two dogs—the parents of these puppies—was enough for me. One by one, the first pups went to good homes, and I was down to only two male puppies left. They were such good companions for each other, and I was glad that one puppy wasn’t left by himself.
Each day they played outdoors, sometimes from first thing in the morning till late afternoon. They even took naps on the snow in the sun. In all their frolicking in the fresh air, they never forgot their boundaries - at least, not till one day when they got the idea to do a little exploring down the lane.
They didn’t go charging down the lane at full speed all at once. They just started slowly sniffing their way along, one little step at a time. When I first noticed what they were doing, I thought that at any minute they would turn around and come back. But they didn’t. They seemed to be enjoying their newfound liberty and weren’t interested in coming back. Since I didn’t know how far they would wander, I knew I would have to go after them and bring them back.
While I was getting my coat and boots on, my dad opened a window and shouted after the pups. By then, they were a hundred yards or more away from the house. He called their names and then just one word: “Come!” Do you know what they did? They immediately stopped, turned around and came trotting back to the house. Isn’t that amazing that they obeyed so quickly? They responded instantly to the sound of their names and that one command - “Come!”
Even though they are puppies, their behavior reminded me of the Lord’s words about His sheep: “The sheep hear His voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name” (John 10:33To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (John 10:3)). “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (vs. 27).
Who are the Lord’s sheep? I’m one, and maybe you are too. Everyone who can truthfully say, “He died for me; He shed His precious blood for me so that all of my sins could be washed away,” is one of His sheep. The Lord Jesus is the good shepherd; “the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep” (vs. 11). And there’s something else He gives His sheep: “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (vs. 28). It’s wonderful to have such a loving Shepherd caring for me for the rest of my life.
Does that mean that I always stay close to my Shepherd and always do everything that pleases Him? Sad to say, that’s not always true. Just like my puppies, there are times when I want to do my own will, and I wander away from the good Shepherd - not into big sins right away, but slowly, one little step at a time, I try doing things that I know don’t make the Lord Jesus happy.
What happens then? Do I stop being saved? Thank the Lord, that can never happen! Remember what the verse said? “They shall never perish.” No, I can never lose my salvation, but I sure can lose the joy of it in my heart when I live to please myself and not the Lord Jesus.
Do you know what He does then? He calls with that simple word, “Come” - “Come unto Me” (Matthew 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)). King David knew that the Lord was his Shepherd, and he said, “He restoreth my soul” (Psalm 23:33He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (Psalm 23:3)). The Lord Jesus gently calls us back to Himself and restores us to the enjoyment of His love and His salvation when we confess to Him that we did wrong. Then He helps us to live to please Him instead of ourselves.
Are we quick to come back to Him when we wander away? Do we obey His commands as quickly as my puppies did? Let’s learn while we’re still young to obey right away - it’s the only way to be truly happy. “Our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep . . . make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight” (Hebrews 13:20-2120Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20‑21)).
ML-01/13/2002