RESCUE STORY
A desperate cry rang out, buried deep in the tall weeds of the ditch at the side of a busy county road. It was first amazing that it was even heard as my friend and I were moving fast on our bicycles to work up speed to make it up the hill that loomed ahead. I immediately braked and alerted my friend to what I had just heard. “We need to go back! I’m sure I heard a kitten.” Clear of traffic, we circled back and began to call out for the kitten. Following his desperate cries, I knelt down and parted the weeds and there staring up at me was a tiny grey kitten with a banged up nose. I began to breath prayers that this little one was not badly injured as I reached in to pull him out. Nothing but skin and bone, he appeared to be okay, just a little cut on the inside of his back leg. We tucked him into the pocket on the back of my bike jersey and began the last mile trek to my house. With the last hill coming fast, I stopped to reposition him as he began to try and climb out. My friend, Brenda, decided she would just hold him in one hand and bike slowly the rest of the way. Once back home, I poured a small cup of milk and warmed it. This poor little baby dunked his whole face in it and began to lap it up feverishly. We took pictures and posted them on Facebook asking if anyone would be willing to take this little baby in and inside an hour we had two people who wanted him. A visit to the Vet first to get cleaned up and checked out revealed the need for special care and stitches for that cut inside his back leg. What a trooper this little guy was!
As I look back on this rescue story, I am reminded that “In His hand is the life of every living creature and the breath of all mankind” – Job 12:10. Throughout scripture, God talks of how he cares for his creatures and how he sees each one, great and small. (Job 38:41- 39:2, Hebrews 4:13). Our loving Creator saw the despair of this little kitten and he brought a rescuer (or two). He planned everything! He planned the route that my friend and I would bike and the timing. We had biked over 18 miles that morning but this kitten was found in the last mile. I don’t know what we would have done if we had found him when we were only 8-9 miles into our ride. God had already decided who would give him a permanent home and love him. What a fortunate and blessed little creature he is (to which he was named – “Asher”). The thing is, if God goes to such great lengths to provide and save one little kitten, think about to what greater lengths he will go to save one whom he created in his own image? Matthew 10: 29-31 say’s, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” As our wonderful and loving shepherd, Jesus tell’s us that if one of us (his sheep) are lost, he would leave the herd to go out and search for that one lost until he is found. (Luke 15:4). This kitten story is a good one, but Jesus has written the best rescue story of all time! He has rescued us from the perils of death if you choose to love him and follow him. (John 3:16). If you are feeling, today, like you are one of the lost, know that Jesus is searching for you, He is calling out for you. Don’t wait another minute! Cry out to him and be rescued!
