I was looking for a dog to be my pet and saw an advertisement in the newspaper. The ad was for a toy fox terrier named Susie. Her master had died, and she was being kept in a garage by some kind neighbors who were taking care of her. This sounded like a dog that not only needed a home, but also needed someone to love her and take good care of her. I was interested.
When I first saw her, she came running to me, very excited just to see someone. She melted my heart when I saw her. I could only think of how alone she was with no one to love her. I took her home with me, and both of us were very happy and no longer lonely.
It was just Susie and me until I was married five years later. Susie still remained as one of the family. My wife and I loved to go for bike rides with Susie sitting in the basket of my bike. Like many dogs, she loved going anywhere in a car or on a bike ride.
When Susie was 12 years old, she became sick. We took her to the vet, and he said that Susie had a disease called sugar diabetes. It reminded me that God tells us we all have a disease called sin. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Isn’t it wonderful that we have a Saviour who loves us and can save us from our sickness of sin? Through His death on the cross, He can make us free from sin and well again.
For a while Susie’s disease was controlled by giving her a medicine called insulin each day. The time came, however, when the little dog just kept getting worse. She lost a lot of weight. We felt so sorry for her since there was nothing more we could do to help her. You and I who have been saved from our sickness of sin have a Saviour to whom we can turn for help with our needs and troubles. He is there, ready, willing and able to answer our prayers.
The day finally came when we had to make an appointment with the vet to have Susie put to sleep. It was terribly hard to think about Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. But the appointment had to be kept, and Susie was put to sleep.
Each of us has an appointed day when we have to leave this world. None of us knows just when that appointed day is, so it’s very important to get ready right now. If the Lord Jesus has cleansed you from your disease of sin, then you are ready to go—even if today should be your last day on earth. Those of us who are ready don’t dread leaving this world because we look forward to being with the Lord Jesus in His wonderful home in heaven. But if you still have your disease of sin, the Bible warns that instead of happiness in heaven with the Lord Jesus, you will have to face punishment for your sins. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:27-28).
Are you ready for your appointed day?
ML-06/21/2015