Starving Strays

One of our readers, a kind woman named Nadiine, tells of a time when she was driving to the store to pick up a few groceries when she saw two stray dogs - a mother and her very thin puppy - in an open field.  Desiring to help the strays, she got out of her
car and pursued them for over an hour, trying to lure them to her without being intimidating.  Unable to draw them to her, she drove to the store and bought some
tasty meat for the starving animals.  The starving strays still declined her offer.  In frustration, she cried out...  "I'M TRYING TO SAVE YOU!  You're going to starve to death out here  -- or be killed!"

She later thought to herself, "They had no idea that they actually needed me,
and they refused to come to me so that I could help them.  I was so hurt and frustrated, knowing their bleak future as strays."

As she continued to reflect upon her experience with the strays, a spiritual application became clear.  "I thought of the Lord - how He lovingly works and works to get people to come to Him to SAVE them, yet so many refuse.  Many do not even believe they need Him at all.  They do not realize that their souls are starving!"

That was a powerful lesson to me as to how God sees us in our true, pitiful condition: lost, starving, headed for danger, and in need of His help and comfort.  "ALL we like sheep have gone "astray"; we have turned, everyone, to his OWN way" (Isaiah 53:6)
And God reaches out to rescue US through the SAVING MESSAGE of the Gospel.
Yet far too many reject His offer, unaware of their perilous condition.

On one occasion... Jesus looked upon the city of Jerusalem and wept over it saying,
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings but...you were NOT willing" (Matthew 23:37; Luke 19:41-44).

Jesus went to the cross to make OUR salvation possible!  He took your sins and mine upon Himself and paid the price for our redemption (1 Peter 2:24).  He invites ALL to come to Him for salvation: "--COME TO ME-- ALL you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).  He has set forth the conditions of acceptance: faith (Hebrews 11:6), repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confession (Romans 10:9-10), baptism (immersion) for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16), AND a life lived in dedication to following His will (1 John 1:7).

Jesus sees us in our true, pitiful condition: lost, starving, headed for danger, and in need of His help and comfort.  He invites each of us to come to Him for salvation. 

PLEASE do not reject Him for another moment!

God bless you.

God bless you!

David A. Sargent, Minister 

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

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