Fifteen-year-old Michael and his dad were walking through the forest looking for dead trees they could chop up for firewood. They needed the firewood because they cooked their food in their cabin on a wood stove. On chilly nights, which didn’t happen too often in central Florida, the wood stove also gave them heat.
Sniffing the ground behind them walked their three-legged dog named Trooper. His fur was black and short and he had a wiry build. He was really good at scaring up birds and then bringing them back after they were shot. The dog had lost one of his back legs when he stepped into a steel bear trap. After the accident, Trooper learned how to run, jump and play on just three legs. He was a lively dog and still tried to do everything he did before he lost his leg, and he did it all well.
Michael carried an axe to chop the wood, and his dad carried his rifle. The rifle might come in handy because they never knew when they might spot a deer, bear, turkey or other game animal that could provide meat for their table.
As they walked along searching for dead trees, Michael suddenly froze in mid-step as a wave of fear swept over him. There in the narrow footpath, only a short step away, a huge rattlesnake lay partly coiled up. The eyes of the rattler were those of a cold-hearted killer and stared directly at him. The brown color of the rattlesnake and the patterns on its back had made it difficult to spot until he was almost on top of it. Its body was as thick as a man’s arm. There was no telling how long the snake was, because it was coiled up, but Michael saw right away that it was BIG!
Instantly the snake drew back its head to strike. Before Michael had time to run, Trooper, on his three legs, leaped in close and snapped at the snake. This distracted the snake from Michael. The snake bared its fangs and struck at the dog. It was fast, but not fast enough! Trooper leaped backwards out of its range, and the snake closed its jaws on thin air. This gave Michael enough time to jump backwards out of danger. He gasped for breath, realizing that he had been only a step away from certain death.
His dad raised his rifle to shoot the rattler and sighted down the long barrel, but the dog jumping in and out of the line of fire made it too risky to pull the trigger. He didn’t want to accidently hit Trooper instead of the snake. After a few seconds, he gave up and lowered the rifle, deciding just to watch the fight.
Time after time, Trooper rushed in towards the snake as if to attack. But before the snake could deliver a fatal bite, the dog would jump backwards out of reach! These feints and counterattacks continued at lightning speed. The dad and son could only watch this fight . . . to the finish.
Do you know there’s a fight going on for your life? This fight is between Jesus, the Saviour of sinners, and Satan, the enemy of your soul. Jesus loves you and wants to save you from Satan, who wants to drag you deeper into sin and then into the lake of fire. But it’s you who must decide who the winner will be. “The Son of Man [Jesus] is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (Luke 9:5656For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. (Luke 9:56)).
Soon the snake began to slow down—a sure sign it was tiring. That was what Trooper was waiting for. After lunging for the dog once more, the snake lowered its head to the ground, and in a lightning flash, the dog pounced on the snake, sinking its teeth into the neck of the snake just behind its head. Then the dog lifted the snake off the ground and shook his head violently back and forth. CRACK! went the snake’s spine, killing it instantly.
How thankful Michael was to have a brave dog like Trooper! He had saved his master’s life when he jumped in and battled the deadly snake. Trooper didn’t give up until he had killed the snake.
On Calvary’s cross, the Lord Jesus defeated all the power of Satan. Because of Calvary, Satan, the enemy of our souls, is a defeated enemy. He was defeated at Calvary when the Son of God willingly gave up His life for sinners. In His death, He made a way that undeserving sinners, like you and me, may receive the gift of everlasting life.
Everlasting life is more than just a happy life in heaven that will never end; it also is the kind of life that finds its deepest joys, delights and happiness in God and His Son, Jesus Christ. Do you want that wonderful life that will never end? Then you must believe by faith that Jesus Christ loves you and took the punishment for your sins on the cross. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)).
Won’t you come to Jesus by faith so that you might share in His great victory over sin, death and hell, and receive the wonderful gift of everlasting life? “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)).
ML-12/14/2014