All too often, this picture depicts what happens in the lives of people as well as animals. Caught in a deluge of difficulty and feeling abandoned, we can sit waiting and wondering what is next. The caption to this photo read, “Would you help?” For most loving, compassionate people, the answer would be a definite “Yes!”
For the dog, there is the immediate need for someone to rescue it by providing a place out of the downpour—a haven that is stable and secure. That is exactly what Noah did when he built the ark for the animals and his own family.
Like that dog, I soon found myself at the mercy of all the harsh elements life could bring upon me. The phrase “raining on my parade” had come to have a very personal meaning. In the midst of such turmoil, I was forced to find answers to the tough questions few are willing to ask. I needed to know if there was more to life than just being a product of chance and luck. Was there a designer behind the incredible organization my senses experienced every day? Without being preachy, the answer for me was obvious. After asking serious questions, I was convinced that God is a rescuer of people from the onslaughts that evil inflicts.
As the Psalmist wrote, “God is to us a God of deliverances; and to God the Lord belong escapes from death” (New American Standard Version, Psalm 68:20) In fact, I believe the heart that is drawn to love and help animals in need is expressing a residual love left there from the One who designed us in His image. Yes, there is much that is flawed in this world, but, like a great painting that has been defaced, we can either add to the problem like vandals or be busy working to restore.
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