MINISTERS MUSINGS

September Musing

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE

Some years ago I was walking three dogs along the river bank. One of the dogs, a mini long haired dachshund called Cora, belonged to friend who was on holiday. It was a lovely sunny day after a night of heavy rain and the river was running full. The dogs were scampering around enjoying the free run on the grass. Every so often I called them to me to keep a check on them. All went well until suddenly I noticed that there were only two dogs who came when I called. Cora was missing. I called and called but there was no answer. I quickly secured the other two dogs to a tree and frantically ran up and down the bank looking and calling for Cora. Then I heard it; a sharp little bark. I raced towards the sound and there was Cora in the swollen river frantically trying to claw her way up the bank to no avail. Her paws were wet, the bank was muddy and very slippery and her thick coat was sodden with water and dragging her down. No way was she going to get out under her own steam.

With a quick prayer I hooked my arm around a convenient sapling, leaned down rather precariously and just managed to get a hold on her collar and drag her out. Wrapping her in my anorak I raced home, rubbed her with a towel in front of the fire and gave her some brandy. In no time she pulled herself together, gave a wet shake and promptly scoffed the saucer of chicken I proffered her, non the worse for her adventure. I still shiver at the remembrance of how that little dog nearly drowned because she could not get up the muddy bank. Another minute and she would have been gone, swept down the river with the mass of debris being swept along by the current.

There are occasions when we feel trapped at the bottom of a slippery slope. When our spirits reach the depths it takes more than human endeavour to climb out.

The psalmist knew this. In psalm 40 we read; ‘He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock.’

We need to remember that God is only a ‘woof’ (or a prayer ) away.