Proverbs of a 41 yr. old man

Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. Eccles. 12:6 Amen. It is with a heavy heart I write this. But the LORD who fills His servants with Holy Spirit has given me a word of passion and encouragement. I loss my dog of almost 14 years to a mauling of another bigger dog. If you knew my dog, the way he died is the way he lived. He had no fear. That is theme I want to set as you keep on reading. I think of Jephthah in Judges 11 when I reflect what on happen on this fateful day of my dog Reubens passing. My wife came out to great me with the dogs, something she never really does. Bright sunny day with my dogs running to me. As I reflect now its so painful like Jephthah who returned to his home in Mizpah, and who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of timbrels! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.” Amen. What should have been joyful turned to disaster. He made a vow to sacrifice whatever came first to his door. And when I grabbed my dogs to greet them and walk them, I noticed the harness for my dog Reuben was loose. I thought nothing of it because of tiredness from work and laziness. He actually got loose at first and ran away but returned when I called the first time. I tightened the harness, still felt loose but I thought it could hold. Tightened again and continued to walk my dogs with my wife. My wife noticed my neighbors big dogs crossing the street so she directed me to walk the other way which I did. But my dog Reuben saw the dogs and went the opposite way from me. The cord and harness snapped loose and Reuben ran towards the big dogs. This dog lived this way his whole life. From finding him in a puppy mill scared and alone to becoming apart of my family, like a son when I had no children of my own. I saw this tiny scared dog turn into a fearless dog when protecting me as He walked with a mission always. He was afraid of no dog and would bark at every dog he saw. He had a brother dog we adopted later named Chulo, who was with him and he looked after tirelessly. They were always together, Reuben always protecting him as well. On this fateful day Reuben ran after the biggest dog in our neighborhood leaving me and his brother behind as the silver cord of life was snapped. No fear. Though he jumped and maneuvered around this large dog, and stood his ground. Before I could snatch him up the large dog mauled him and spit him to the ground. I picked up his broken body and saw him fatally injured. I ran to my car in shock not understanding what just happened. I was hoping he was going to live. He has always done crazy things like this. This dog had no fear. As I held my lifeless dog in my lap driving to the nearest dog emergency hospital. I felt the LORD say, no fear. We must storm the gates of hell like Reuben with no fear! Shaken by this thought, I pleaded with the LORD to let him live. But by the time I got to the hospital they said he died earlier. He died in my arms, so awkwardly thankful to have held him in his last moments of life wishing I could have saved him with my prayers. Sadly I lost my best friend and only son that I was first given. I loved that dog so much! My only solance is that I know He is with the LORD. There is no way out of this world without suffering and dying. I am learning how to do this everyday as death has been so common in my life. Death is cold and dark. But Jesus calls us through the dense fog of uncertainty to follow Him. I want close with the picture of the Apostle Paul feeling led to go to Rome. So much suffering and loss to fullfill the mission on his heart. No fear as Paul brought the Gospel to the Mecca of the known world Rome. He was beheaded for his faith, but he was being poured out as an offering for the Gospel of Jesus to spread. Amen. Reflect on these two thoughts: Before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well to remember the LORD. Secondly, live with no more fear, it's killing our faith. Like Reuben let us hone a spirit of no fear. A spirit of love, power, and a sound mind as we live life abandoned to God in Christ. We are to die to this world and live for Jesus. To live with no fear of man and no fear of the enemy of this world. Storming the gates of hell because the victory belongs to Jesus. Look! I see my dog Reuben ahead of us, he has no fear. Love you Reuben. Never forgotten.