Rescued (Part 1)

Bible Reading: John 3:14-18

As Tessa and Milo walked out of the hardware store with their father, Milo noticed a cage sitting next to the entrance. “Hey, Dad!” he said. “There’s a dog in that cage!”

“He’s so cute!” Tessa exclaimed. She and Milo stooped to pet the small brown dog while Dad talked to the woman sitting next to the cage.

“What were you and that woman talking about?” Milo asked as they got into the car.

Dad sighed. “She works at the animal shelter, and she told me that dog only has a few more days to live if no one adopts him. The shelter can’t take care of all the stray animals they find, so by bringing them to places where people can see them, they give the animals a better chance of being adopted.”

Milo’s face fell. “You mean—that dog is on death row?”

“In a way, I guess he is,” Dad said. “Though I’m sure someone will take him.”

“But, Dad! What if nobody does?” wailed Tessa. “He’ll be put to sleep! Can’t we take him home with us? He likes us. He was wagging his tail like crazy while we were petting him!”

“Yeah, he needs us, Dad!” Milo said.

“Well . . .” Dad hesitated. “Let’s wait till this evening, and I’ll call the shelter and check on him. And we’ll have to talk it over with your mother.”

When Dad called the animal shelter, he learned the dog was still waiting to be rescued. Since Mom had agreed, they went to pick him up the next day. As they drove home, Tessa looked up at Dad. “It’s kind of like what Jesus did, isn’t it, Dad?”

“What do you mean?” Dad asked.

“When we had devotions yesterday, the verses you read from the Bible said that before Jesus saved us, we were condemned,” Tessa explained. “In a way, that’s like being on death row, isn’t it? But Jesus died on the cross to take our punishment. When we put our trust in Him, He rescued us—kind of like how we rescued this dog.”

Dad smiled. “Good thinking, Tessa.”

Milo laughed as the dog licked his face. “He’ll be a good reminder of how we’ve been rescued by Jesus!” Sherry L. Kuyt

How About You?

Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? If not, the Bible says you’re condemned. But the good news is that God did something to rescue you. He sent His only Son, Jesus, to take the punishment you deserve for your sin. If you put your trust in Him, you’ll no longer be condemned, and He’ll give you a new life. Trust Him today! (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page.)

Today’s Key Verse: John 3:18 Whoever believes in [Jesus] is not condemned. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Jesus rescues sinners