A Goat and The Good news

  This is story is about Ugly the goat. It is a true and remarkable story of a goat with nine lives. When Ugly was younger, she had trouble getting pregnant. Her hooves were always in a bad condition, even though she was hoof trimmed regularly. One year we decided to sell her since she didn't get pregnant that season. We had a buyer, but when he saw her, he decided she was too old for good eating. So we sold him another goat. Ugly the goat lived another day. We thought about butchering her and using the meat for ourselves, but we never got around to it. Then we had another buyer. When they came to the farm, I caught Ugly for them but when I caught her, I checked her just to be sure she wasn't pregnant. To my dismay, she was developing an udder. I couldn't sell her now. So, I sold two of my other goats to these men. After that Ugly faithfully gave us one kid a year. However, one summer her feet were really bad, so bad she walked at times on her front knees. We talked about putting her down. But I was loath to do that, so I tied to save her by hoof trimming her a couple times in that summer. These extra trims gave Ugly the unhindered use of her feet again. She kidded that summer and then she kidded again in the spring. This time it was not just one kid but two kids. Ugly has nine lives like a cat since she has escaped death so many times. We love Ugly the goat and she has proved to me a very profitable goat.

     This story leads me to consider a spiritual lesson. We may avoid death many times, we can't escape it forever. We all must die eventually. Deep down we are all afraid to die. There is good reason to be afraid of death."It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" Hebrews 9:27. After we die, we will all stand before God to be judged for how we lived in this life. The problem is that we have all broken God's law many times and that God is good and just and therefore, must punish us with eternal punishment for our crimes. All of us deserve this for our innumerable crimes against the God who made us to worship Him. But there is a way for us to be forgiven of our crimes against God. 

     God the Son, Jesus Christ, came down to earth and became a man. He lived a perfect life. He died on the cross and paid the punishment for all those who come to Him for forgiveness and mercy. He rose from the dead, and, so, showed that His sacrifice was accepted and that death was conquered. So now those who beg God for forgiveness and trust what Jesus Christ has done, can be counted as not guilty and enjoy an eternity of  joy in worship and fellowship with the Lord God.

     Will you do this today, if you never have? God offers you full pardon. All you have to do is to admit you are guilty before God and ask Him to forgive you because of what Jesus Christ did and you can be sure that God will eagerly give you salvation. 

"If we confess our sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:7

Therefore Jesus is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrew 7:25

-Brad-