Sunday, November 15, 2009

Chasing the Master

We saw Nubs the Dog on the Leno Show, and my husband, being a dog lover was enthralled by his story.  It was an inspiring story of loyalty and perseverance, but I only really got it when I heard Dave preach about it on Wednesday night.  It hit me hard and painted a picture in my mind so vivid that I don't believe I'll ever forget it.

A wild dog surviving in the deserts of Iraq, fighting and scavenging with the other packs of ferocious dogs that inhabit his territory.  An Iraqi soldier decides to capture him to turn him into a fighting dog to gamble with and slices off his ears.  He's starved and sent into a ring of other snarling half-crazed dogs to fight for his life so that a few bored men can get a laugh and steal each other's money.  He ends up stabbed with a screw-driver and left for dead.  And he comes across a US Marine camp with the first friendly voices he has ever heard.


That in a nutshell was the life story of Nubs the dog - Nubs the name given to him by Maj. Brian Dennis who saw something good in this brute.  In time the marine befriends him, and when he sees the gaping wound on his side, administers first aid the best he can, and sees him survive the night.  But weeks later the soldiers receive orders to pack and travel 75 miles through the desert to set up a new camp.  They drive off in their Humvees and watch Nubs chasing their convoy as far as he can before he turns into a small speck on the desert landscape.  Two mornings later, who should appear at the marine Major's tent flap, but Nubs the dog.  He had traveled that entire distance in 18 degree weather to stay close to the one man who cared about his life.  He wasn't about to let distance or difficulty stop him.

Long story short, Major Dennis raised $5000 through emailing friends and was able to send Nubs home to sunny California, enjoying the beaches of San Diego and eating dog chow for the rest of his life.  Sweet story, but as I listened to Dave preach, I heard so much more.

Working in the US, one of the most common things to hear are people complain about God not being fast enough, not caring, not answering the way they think He ought to.  I can't count how many have come to God, to church, seen huge changes and then gave up on God and church when other obstacles came along, and those huge changes just faded away.  No one knows what faithfulness and trust is anymore.  The services are too long, the prayers don't sound just right, the music isn't my style, the building's too far away, no body pays attention to me, too many people pay attention to me, I just don't feel like believing any more.  Sickening but it's the reality of the American Christian today.

Nubs had no reason to trust any human being.  He had no reason to be faithful or loving to any creature at all.  He had been cut, bruised, wounded, abandoned and left for dead, yet he chose to love and sacrifice himself to find the one he believed in.  He chased after the master that he chose, and now is secure in a happy home.  How badly do we really want God?  How eager are we to chase after Him?  How willing are we to forget all the horrible things in our past and just keep our eyes glued to God?

More than ever before, I want to chase down and pursue my Master until the end of my days.  Who thought that a wild Iraqi dog could teach me how to honor and sacrifice to God?  But then again, wasn't it Jesus who called a woman of faith a little dog one day?

9 comments:

Lily Torneros said...

Wow, what an inspiring story.
Many people go through hardhips just as Nubs,and are fortunate enough to find God, but once they are aided they don't fight to be with the one who rescued them anymore. This dog has more fight than most people out there. Everyone can learn from this story, and motivate themselves to chase after God through it all, don't stop and give up.

Evelyn Higginbotham said...

Thanks Lily - it's like they say, it doesn't matter how big the dog is in the fight, but how big the fight is in the dog!

Mayela said...

What was surprising to me is how the dog was so persistent! Even though the soldier left, the dog did not give up! he could have easily gotten tired and stopped his journey of 75 miles, but he kept going, without knowing what was going to happen to him, If he didn't give up on man...how can we ever give up on God!?

Sulma Navid said...

This also reminded be of Abrahams story...
When God called him to a land but didn't tell him where it was at. He just told him to go..

Did the dog have any assurance he would make it back to Maj. Brian? Did he know if he was going to make it? Nothing assured him, he just kept focused on finding him.
And i forget I'm talking about a dog but wow...
He didn't worry where he was going to sleep, how he was going to eat, or anything. What motivated him was just getting to Maj. Brian.
This story is amazing!

Debora Anjos said...

That is very true, Sulma.
That is how dogs are know for, right?! Loyalty.
To someone who gave him the chance to live. The dog focused on the good that has happened to him, despising all the suffering he had gone through... He knew that this one soldier would take care of him.....

Val Sawelenko said...

What great writing and thoughts on your blog, Chasing the Master. I so enjoyed reading it and learning, still again and more.

Thank YOU!

God bless you,

Val

Raphaela Castro said...

When I heard this story in the service, it made my heart ache :-( And now it pains me again as I read your post.

It makes me wonder, 'Am I showing the same devotion to the One who saved me, who loved me and gave me life?

Really helpful and inspiring story, it sure reminds us to keep on track!

perla said...

Wow this is really an inspiration story I would of never tough of this. While I was reading this story toughts were going trough my mind how could they have done that to him and at the end of reading it it showed me that we have to keep on going forward to follow god and not to let any tragedies of our past stop us from believing in him. And I do wanna say that I want to be like this dog to follow my god until death.

Sithokozile Myeni said...

I was just going through your blog when I came across this very inspiring story. I can't believe how an animal can be so persistent and have so much perseverance, to chase after the master that he has chosen, until the end. I think its clear that Nubs had the goal insight and refused to sway - in the end he reaped the rewards.
I never thought I would say this but I want to be just like this dog, to press towards the mark and not fail - chasing after Jesus forever!
Thank you for the amazing post