No Telling About Dogs

I was off early this morning to work at Eight Days of Hope.  When I returned home, Ole Lou was looking bad. He was lying in front of the door, unable to move. His head was lolled over to one side, and it appeared he had had a "potty accident".  He ALWAYS greets me when I return, and he gave it a courageous effort. He managed to get up, but his left hind leg would not hold him up, and he promptly fell down. That leg was dragging and it appeared that he couldn't move it at all. A quick exam found that the bone appeared intact and there was no tenderness. 

Poor Ole Lou wouldn't eat, he couldn't walk, and he looked so awful that I called Ryan to tell him his dog was dying. There is no telling what Ryan thought at first. I was crying so hard at losing Lou that I could hardly get the story out. Finally, I said, "Whatever has happened is killing him. I'm gonna give him a bit, but I wanted to let you know I'm probably going to have to put him down." 

Bill the Magnificent came down to help me with Ole Lou. As we were trying to decide what to do and how to move such a big dog, Lou looked up at us, seemed to sense he was in serious trouble, and stood up. Much to my surprise the left hind leg was moving and held him without difficulty. I was speechless.  

Lou hurried out of our way. Bill the Magnificent looked at the departing Ole Lou, and said, "Well, I reckon he got kicked by a horse. That'll make you feel like dyin'."  That comment was just as surprising as Lou's departure. 

At that point, Ole Lou was up and mobile, and I had no idea what was wrong with him, nor what to do. Just in case he really had been kicked by a horse (???), I gave him some aspirin and waited. When I was sure the returned mobility was likely to remain, I called Ryan and gave him the news. He was as startled as I, and asked, "Mama , aren't you a doctor? I thought you could tell about dead people." "Yes, I can," I assured him, "but apparently there's no telling about dogs. It's like he got resurected." 

As I've checked on my surprisingly near-resurrected dog this afternoon, I've thought that the resurrected Jesus must have been even more surprising and baffling. People must have been shaking their heads in confusion and amazement for generations to come. We've lost some of that wonder after so many years, and we treat the resurrection of Jesus as if it was as routine as waking up in the morning. It was not. It was the most astounding thing that has ever happened, and it is the event that gives meaning to the cross. Without the empty tomb, the cross would be just another sad death. To pay the penalty for our sins, Christ had to have victory over sin and death. The resurrection did just that. 

Selah. Pause and consider the miracle of our resurrected Lord. 

We serve a risen Savior.  

He is risen, indeed, and that is cause for rejoicing!