Jesus Took His Last Breath Thinking Of Us

Last year I bought the movie "Hachi: A Dog's Tale" starring Richard Gere. It is a true story about a college professor in Japan who adopts an abandoned Akita puppy, creating a deep bond between the two of them. The dog, named Hachi, accompanies his master to the train station every morning as he leaves for work, and then, every afternoon, comes back again to greet his master as he gets off the train. The two are inseparable. However, the professor finds it frustrating that he can never teach Hachi to fetch.

Then one morning, Hachi tries to stop his master from going to work by barking at him. When Hachi doesn't succeed, he goes to get his ball, then runs back to his master with the ball in his mouth. However, the professor ignores his dog's strange behaviour and continues to walk to work, getting on the train. That is the last time Hachi ever sees his master. As the professor is teaching music to his students, he tragically dies of a heart attack, leaving Hachi waiting all night for him in the deep snow at the train station.

It is unbelievable and heart-wrenching, but for nine years Hachi continues to wait for his beloved master at the train station. He goes there at the same time each day, waiting, hoping, and dreaming of the fun times he once shared with his master. When Hachi becomes old and grey, he manages one last time to crawl to the train station and wait. There, Hachi takes his last breath and dies.

To honour the dog, the people of Hachi's town built a monument of him that stands to this day at the train station.

I tell this story because Hachi represents Jesus, waiting, hoping, and dreaming of the day when those that were once His own will one day come back to their Heavenly Father and into the loving arms of their Master. Just like Hachi pleaded with his master not to go to work that day, with a ball in his mouth, Jesus pleads for those who start to turn their backs and begin to head out into the deadly traps of the world.

The Bible says that there is no greater love than one who is willing to lay down his life for his friends. Hachi gave up a dog's life, to lay down his life for his best friend. Jesus has done the same for each one of us. When Jesus died, He took His last breath thinking of each one us.

"Greater love has no one than this,

 that he lay down his life for his friends."

John 13:15 (NIV)

Praise God that Jesus is alive today!