It all began about 11:30 one cold night when Regan ran away from home. The Pliscott family searched for their dog for three hours and then decided to call off the search until morning. How they all loved their 11-year-old golden retriever, especially Michael, who was five years old. The two spent many happy hours playing together. The family went to bed with worrisome fears that night. This was the first time their dog had broken his chain and run away.
But what freedom Regan was enjoying as he ran across the backyards of the neighborhood, stopping here and there for a moment to sniff a new smell. Then off again on his zigzag course, which eventually led him into the woods. There were lots of smells and sounds to investigate in there, along with prowling nighttime animals to chase. It was all new to him, and his tail swished back and forth in the enjoyment of his freedom.
We all love freedom, especially from our parents’ restraints. There are new sights and sounds to sample and new things to try. We go from one attraction to the next, farther and farther into sin, leaving Jesus out of our lives. That’s just the way Satan plans it, and soon he has us where he wants us - not wanting to turn back, and headed for trouble.
And that is just where Regan was - not ready to turn back, and headed for trouble. He came out of the trees into a strange backyard. Having been on the run for several hours, he was thirsty. Perhaps it was the smell of water in the backyard swimming pool that caught his attention. He bounded over to it and tried to run across the winter liner overtop the pool. But the plastic liner couldn’t hold his weight, and both dog and liner sank in the water.
Now Regan was in serious trouble and with no owner around to get him out. And when our sins lead us into serious trouble, Satan’s plan is working. He is the enemy of our souls and wants to destroy our lives. The Bible tells us this and warns us to be careful and be on guard: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:88Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8)). Thankfully, our sinful condition is not hopeless. We have a Saviour who is looking for us. And, thankfully, Regan’s condition wasn’t hopeless either.
The next day about noon, police chief Darrell Sanders was searching a wooded area for the source of a wailing sound. He assumed it was coming from a sick or injured deer or raccoon. As he followed the wail, it led him to the forlorn dog in the pool.
The police chief described what he found: “Regan was standing on his hind legs with his forepaws on the edge. He just couldn’t get out. His big brown eyes seemed to be pleading, ‘Help me - don’t leave me here.’ ”
The police chief tried placing a picnic table in the pool for the dog to climb out on. But it didn’t work, and the dog looked as if he was getting weaker and about to go under. The kind police chief wasn’t going to let that happen. He decided it was time to jump into that cold water and lift him out.
Once he got the heavy, wet dog out, he found the Pliscotts’ address on the dog’s collar tag. Then he wrapped the 60-pound dog in blankets and drove him home, several miles away.
The kind police chief certainly went to a lot of trouble to save the Pliscotts’ pet. A little longer in that cold water and the dog would have died.
You and I have a loving Saviour who is waiting to save us. He knows all about our sins and where they have led us. But He loves us anyway, and cares so much that He went to Calvary’s cross and gave up His life for us. He yearns to save us from our sins and the punishment that is ahead. Will you by faith grasp His kind hands reaching out to you and cry, “Help me - don’t leave me here” ? He will save you right now, before it is too late.
ML-04/07/1996