by Phillip Keller, 1983, 2002
“A True Story of Transforming Love”
He adopted a fearful, distrusting, wretched, miserable sheep dog (like us before God) and turned her into a happy, beloved, obedient, helpful, indispensable sheep dog for his ranch in Vancouver, Canada. He applied the lessons he learned from training her (Lass) to us in our relationship with God. He adopts us and takes us from being fearful, angry, unhappy, rebellious people and sets us free to become the happy, beloved, beautiful, loving, and purpose-filled friends He designed us to be.
Lesson 1, In the Wrong Hands
…We are convinced we will suffer abuse at His hands. But it is only the hand of God that sets us free.
Lesson 2, Set Free — to Follow
We ourselves choose what our end shall be…
Then one summer evening the sun was setting in a spectacle of golden glory over the western horizon. The mingled colors of rose, lavender, gold, and scarlet were reflected in the sea. In the foreground my flock fed peacefully in the pastures at the ocean edge. It was utterly breathtaking–a scene which transported one into a wondrous serenity.
But softly, almost imperceptible amid my reverie I sensed the hesitant, first faint touch of a warm, soft nose touching my hands held behind my back…
Clearly I could see now why Christ told us emphatically there was tremendous joy in heaven whenever a straying one came home…
Lass discovered, to her delight, that what she had found was not new chains, abuse, or bondage. What she had come home to was warmth, understanding, affection, and the thrilling freedom to fulfill the purposes for which she had been bred.
Lesson 3 – Learning to Trust
Too many of us have the wrong view of work with God. We look upon it as a grim bondage or a sort of serfdom. No, no, no! For when we truly come to know His touch upon our lives, and sense the sweetness of His Spirit at work in our souls, we are liberated into joyous experiences and adventurous undertakings…
When I spoke she would cock her ears to catch every syllable. She would tilt her head to one side, listening with intense concentration. She would fasten her eyes upon my face–alert, eager, ready to move into immediate action.
Lesson 4 – The Delight of Obedience
There is among Christ’s followers the element of confusion in which people claim not to understand clearly what His intentions are. There really is no excuse for this. Any person who desires to know and do God’s good will can find it stated clearly in His Word…
When we comply with His wishes, our walk with Him, our work with Him, our way with Him become a deep delight. Not only is He immensely pleased, but so also are we.
It never ceased to amaze and stimulate me to see how thrilled Lass was in her whole-hearted obedience. Her eyes would sparkle with pure pleasure. Her tail would wag with joy. Her body was electric, vibrant with ecstatic satisfaction.
This is what she had been designed to do.
Lesson 5 – The Test of Faithfulness
So it can be understood why the one command which she found most difficult to carry out was Stay…
God used this element in Lass to teach me a most important principle. I began to grasp the absolute necessity to be quietly steadfast and faithful wherever He placed me. In a sense these interludes in life were a test not only of my faithfulness to God, but also of His to me.
…We may feel we are forgotten by God.
Lesson 6 – Love and Discipline
…Love for Christ is a deliberate setting of the will to carry out His commands at any cost…
It would be wonderful if this sheep dog story could end here on this noble note. But it cannot. For, to be true to the tale, there were some disappointing interludes.
…To correct her and to mend the breach between us there had to be discipline…
I loved Lass far too much to let her revert back to her old, wretched lifestyle…
We distort the true character of Christ if we assert that He will merely wink at wrong…
He disciplines because He cares, because He loves, because He heals.
Lesson 7 – Available for Anything
In this story I have tried to convey some of the love, loyalty, and excitement we shared as master and friend. Yet of all these varied experiences it was ultimately Lass who taught me best what it really means to be utterly abandoned to the Master’s purposes.
It was stimulating to watch her work with such enthusiasm…
There was a cost to the dog in all of this. She would become very weary. Her face would be scratched and torn by the thickets. Her coat would be clogged with burs and debris. Sometimes the pads of her feet would be lacerated with the sharp stones.
Yet she went gladly, with happy abandon…
Reflecting upon all of this I began to see why it is that Christ calls us, as His coworkers, to go into tough places. Being His friend is no cozy guarantee that life will always be either easy or even agreeable. There are simply bound to be some tough assignments, some suffering if we are to fully comply with His commands.
Then let us trust Him fully. Let us follow Him fearlessly. Let us fling ourselves with glad abandon into His enterprises.
This Lass did with me–even in the darkest night and most dangerous engagements.
The Lord used Lass to teach me still another truth about Himself in the dark and difficult episodes in life! He is always there! He is fully alert and aware of the dangers abroad! He spares Himself no pains to protect us from those who would imperil our lives!
It is well to remind ourselves often of the utter faithfulness of God. We are too prone to believe that He really is not with us, that He does not know what dangers confront us, that He is out of touch with things!
…He is here!
All is well between us! Bless His wondrous name!