Many years ago, I had a German Shepherd named Asha. I have written about her previously when I explained how owning and training her clarified and helped me understand my relationship with the Lord. As amazing as that was, I had an even more astounding experience associated with Asha.
One morning I got up and went out into the yard to see Asha. When I found her, I saw that she had injured herself and was very sick. I took her to our veterinarian, who patched up her injury and kept her in the hospital to determine what ailed her. But the vet was unable to determine a cause for her illness; she was lethargic and wouldn’t eat. After a week or two, he suggested sending Asha to a specialist, but added that it would likely cost a couple of thousand dollars. The vet’s bill had already tapped me out and I told him so. He was very compassionate and said he would keep her without charge and continue trying to determine what was wrong. However, he also said there might come a time when we would have to euthanize her.
After a couple of more weeks, the vet called to say that he thought it was time. Asha had lost a third of her weight and was skin and bone. I went into the office and signed the papers to put her to sleep. I then took her outside to say goodbye. Asha couldn’t walk more than a few steps. I knelt alongside her and began thanking God for her and stroking her head. While praying I said, “Lord, I know you could heal her if you wanted to.” Suddenly, I heard a voice say, “OK,” and felt what I can only describe as a surge of power flow through my arm. Asha jerked and after a few seconds got up and walked over to a bowl of food and started eating. Just then the vet’s assistant came out and exclaimed, in surprise, “She’s eating! She has never eaten on her own before.” As we were rejoicing, the vet drove up. He was equally shocked and said, “Let’s give her a few more days…” About three days later I was able to take Asha home, and after a month or so she gained all of her weight back.
There are times, even on the mission field, that we experience spiritual dryness. I thank the Lord for giving me this experience, which proved to me that God is real, he hears, and he answers. That assurance got me through dry times over and over. “How blessed is the man who has made the Lord his trust” (Psalm 40:4 NASB).