The hound Of Heaven
When I was a younger man, I frequently hunted raccoons with a handful of close friends. Since raccoons are nocturnal animals, “Coon Hunting,” as it was called, happened well after dark. We loaded up my friend’s pickup truck with his favorite Blue Tick hound in the back, and four of us crowded into the front seat. Since we were all big guys, we looked like a messy blob of camouflage with four faces as we headed into the nearest wooded area where we suspected a local raccoon or two lived.
We came to the edge of the woods, stopped the truck, and lumbered out of the cab, gathering our trusty 22 caliber rifles and loading them with ammo. Then, the fun began. Gary released the hound dog and gave him a quick command, and the dog took off into the woods like his tail was on fire with his nose to the ground.
Hound dogs can smell 40,000 times better than humans. These amazing animals can smell things up to forty feet underground. With their 250 to 300 million sensors, they can pick up the scent of a human fingerprint a week old. Bloodhound findings can be accepted in a court of law, so if you are doing something terrible, just know that a hound dog will find out and try to help lead you in a different direction.
As we tried to follow the trial of the Canis Familiaris, suddenly, a haunting sound filled the darkness. The howl of a big hound reminds me of a scary movie. There’s nothing like it. This haunting sound told us that he was on the trail of a raccoon. Now, it was our job to catch up. I wish we had videos of four grown men running through the woods in the middle of the night carrying rifles and tripping every few steps. By God’s grace, nobody got hurt except the raccoon.
As I look back upon the episodes now, it all seems kind of silly, but we had fun. However, what stands out most in those memories was the fantastic ability of that dog to pick up the faint scent of one animal and follow it through the woods in the middle of the night until it stood on two hind legs barking incessantly on the side of a tree looking up at two glowing eyes high in the branches. Mr. Racoon was found. Hound dogs are relentless hunters.
My favorite author, C.S. Lewis, once quoted a famous poem by Francis Thompson when he called God The Hound of Heaven. Lewis talked of how God doggedly pursued him his entire life until Lewis came into the faith, “kicking and screaming.” God is relentless.
Lest you conclude that our forays into the woods were simply about fun, let me enlighten you further. In those days, I was still firmly on my prodigal journey, and rather than hunting raccoons at night, I often spent twilights high or drunk. By that time in my journey, that was my lifestyle. But the Hound of Heaven had other plans. All He needed to do was show me there were different ways to have just as much fun, and there were committed Jesus followers who did not judge me according to my lifestyle choices. They accepted me right where I was.
One thing ultimately led to another, and finally, I was up the tree, staring down at a life I didn’t want to pursue. Now, the Hound had shown me a way, a better way. I climbed down out of the tree and found He was gentle, forgiving, and kind even after all I had done to ignore and reject Him. He warmed up to me like a friend.
I’ve strayed many times in my life, but every time, my Faithful Friend pursues me relentlessly. He is astoundingly persuasive and never gives up. I am glad.
Perhaps you have wandered off the better path and find yourself thinking that this must be all there is. It is not. If you even open the door with a tiny crack, you will see glimpses of the Hound of Heaven in pursuit. He loves you too much to give up on you. You are never far from the hand of God, nor are those you love.
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” Jesus, Revelation 3:20
Enjoy your week.
Live Inspired!
Don Mark
