My parents, the late Richard and Betty, lived at the end of Belmont Ave, and across from their house was a wooded area that also had a railroad bed that set ideal for years. It was this railroad bed that
I walked every Sunday looking for snakes, birds, rabbits, and squirrels. I managed to save enough money to buy a Winchester, model 150, lever-action carbine, and as a 16 year-old-boy. I was anxious to shoot the first animal that crossed my path.
The rabbit was trapped.
Then it happened! I spotted a wild rabbit, well, in reality, I believe we spotted each other at the same time, because it darted into a cluster of bushes
and I followed close behind. As I stepped into the brush, I believed the rabbit was surprised, as well as me, because I was blocking the rabbit’s only means of escape.
Do rabbits pray?
As I looked down the guns scoop, the rabbit did something I have never seen before while hunting prey. This rabbit crouched down, had its eyes closed, and I had to wonder, is this rabbit praying.
Does God answer the prayers of animals?
Did the Lord answer the rabbit's cry for help? We will never know if God heard the rabbit's prayer or responded to its cries. Whatever the rabbit was doing, however,
seemed to work, because my mind was flooded with thoughts about this rabbit, having babies who are waiting for her to bring them food.
Man's heart is wicked.
The Lord
said to Himself, the imagination of man’s heart is evil (Gen.6:5). The prophet Jeremiah joins the conversation and speaks the words the Lord had put in his mouth saying (Jer.1:10), the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (Jer.17:9),
and my heart was no exception, for I was thoroughly searching the woods for one reason, to shoot and kill innocent animals.
Can a rabbit change a man’s heart?
Was
this rabbit praying? We will never know, but what I do know for sure is, while confronting the rabbit, something supernaturally happened to me? For the first time, I saw this hare just as the Lord saw it, one of His creatures providing for their young. And
here I stand with a loaded gun, ready to end the bunny’s life for two minutes of pleasure. Was this rabbit praying? We will never know but what I do know for sure is while confronting the rabbit, something supernaturally happened to me? For the first
time, I saw this rabbit just as the Lord saw it, one of His creatures providing for their young, and here I stand, with a loaded gun ready to end the bunny’s life for two minutes of pleasure.
Dose God
use animals to change hearts?
While I was hunting, did God use the rabbit to change my heart? Is there anyone who can answer such a question as this? However, I do know that God opened the mouth of Balaam’s
donkey so the animal could warn Balaam of pending danger (Please read Num.22:1-41). I also know the Lord commanded the ravens to feed His prophet Elijah, (Please Read 1-Kings 17-1-6). Luke, writes saying, with God, nothing is impossible. Most Christians forget
that there is nothing the Lord cannot do.
A new creation
The Lord meant Saul, a persecutor, and murder on the road to Damascus and changed His mind, and then his heart
(Acts.9:1-43). Why then, couldn’t the Lord meet a hunter who is in the act of shooting a rabbit in the woods?
Something had happened to me that warm sunny day while hunting. I entered the forest as a cold-blooded
animal killer and left the woods with tears in my eyes. Who would guess that God would use a rabbit to change a man’s heart, but He did, God, changed my heart that day?
My testimony
Why am I sharing this story with you? For one, to testify that God does change the hearts of men and woman, even when their hearts are wicked
Secondly I testify that God loves all of His creation, including
animals.
Did God perform a miracle?
1) I am convinced a miracle happened that day. I believe the Lord gave me a new heart and put
a new spirit within me (Ezk.36:26, 27).
2) God changed a man's heart forever, all by the grace and power of a loving God.
A new man
God performed a miracle that day when I encountered a praying rabbit, for one, I no longer hunt, and did I shoot the rabbit? Of course not, did my parents know that I was raising havoc on the animal kingdom, certainly not. And by the way, this is a
true story, and the hunter was me, Pastor Dennis, and no," I was not a pastor when I was hunting.