INSTITUTE OF LOVE

Miracle Dogs
Text Box: You care for people and animals alike, O LORD. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! Psalms 36:6-7 NLT About a half year ago, God gave me a prophetic word for Sophia that she would have a dog prior to us moving back to New York City, and that this particular dog - God showed me - would be a French bulldog. Sophia never owned a dog or cat in her life, and she has never been a dog lover. As it turned out some time later, Sophia got to talk to a very kind Christian lady who owns a pet store during one of our revival meetings. She asked Sophia if we wanted a dog, and she answered, with the prophecy in mind: “Well, the only dog I would want is a French bulldog!” “Well,” the lady said, “I rarely get French bulldogs, and the last time I had them was four years ago. But since you brought it up, I know God will give it to you!” Amazingly, two hours later the pet store lady called Sophia and told her that a woman called with the request to come and pick up 15 French bulldogs, because she couldn’t take care of them anymore. These animals were in a bad shape, living in deplorable conditions outside on concrete in the heat and they were dirty with thick layers of dried mud on them. They desperately needed to be rescued from this hoarder lady. French bulldogs are normally very expensive to buy, and when everything was said and done, we ended up being given two dogs instead of one - a boy and a girl - just as God had promised. They are both about 2 years old, and are now rehabilitated and are today very happy and healthy dogs. Sophia has totally fallen in love with these dogs. What a miracle and blessing from God! The moral of this story is that God, who cares about our wellbeing as people, is also caring for the wellbeing of animals. The godly are concerned for the welfare of their animals, but even the kindness of the wicked is cruel. Proverbs 12:10 NLT We are supposed to take good care of our animals; they are also God’s creation, providing food and rest for them and not abuse them, torture them, and be cruel to them like the sorcerer/prophet named Balaam was, who beat his donkey and God caused it to talk in a human voice, questioning why Balaam was hurting him. This is the story of the Moabite king Balak, a long time enemy of God, who requested and bribed the prophet Balaam to curse Israel whom he greatly feared. On his way to curse Israel, as he was riding on his donkey, God sent an angel to stop Balaam who ultimately ended up blessing Israel instead. So the next morning Balaam saddled his donkey and started off with the Moabite officials. But God was furious that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the LORD to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, Balaam's donkey suddenly saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. Then the angel of the LORD stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing there, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. Then the angel of the LORD moved farther down the road and stood in a place so narrow that the donkey could not get by at all. This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat it again with his staff. Then the LORD caused the donkey to speak. "What have I done to you that deserves your beating me these three times?" it asked Balaam. "Because you have made me look like a fool!" Balaam shouted. "If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!" "But I am the same donkey you always ride on," the donkey answered. "Have I ever done anything like this before?" "No," he admitted. Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam fell face down on the ground before him. "Why did you beat your donkey those three times?" the angel of the LORD demanded. "I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey." Then Balaam confessed to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to block my way. I will go back home if you are against my going." But the angel of the LORD told him, "Go with these men, but you may say only what I tell you to say." Numbers 22:21-35 NLT The donkey saved Balaam’s life but made him look foolish in the process, so Balaam lashed out at the donkey. We sometimes strike out at blameless people, children, or animals that get in our way. Lashing out at others can be a sign that something is wrong with us. It could be that we are embar-rassed, or our pride is hurt, just like Balaam’s was, who, fuelled by his frustration and anger hit the innocent donkey three times. My advice is: Don’t allow your own hurt pride to lead you to hurt people, children, or animals.   Copyright©2010 Sophia & Edwin Christiaan Text Box: By Edwin Christiaan