This is a story of a dog named Bear. The reason he is called Bear is because he is black and was born with a short tail.
One morning while visiting with Bear’s owner, I was walking around the back of their house and there was Bear. But he sure didn’t look like Bear. He was covered with little green burrs, and he looked like a green monster!
I said to Mr. Monroe, his owner, “Where has that dog been to get covered with burrs like that?”
Mr. Monroe said, “He’s been some place where he shouldn’t have been!”
Say, boys and girls, doesn’t this remind us of sin? We go places, do things and say things that we shouldn’t. Then we try to cover up our sin as if nothing has happened. God says in His Word, the holy Bible, in Numbers 32:2323But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23), “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Bear couldn’t possibly hide his burrs. I thought that if we could just put a nice coat or blanket over him, we could hide all those burrs and he would look like Bear again.
But you see, boys and girls, God says in Proverbs 28:1313He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13), “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” If we had covered Bear with a new coat, the burrs would still be underneath, and they would hurt him since these burrs are full of tiny needles. Sin is just like a burr - it hurts and hurts, and unless it is removed it gets worse and worse.
Mr. Monroe got a brush. We only called Bear once and did he ever come quickly! He seemed to know what we were going to do.
The Lord Jesus calls you to “come” in Matthew 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28): “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Are you ready and willing to come just as you are? Bear came just as he was. He couldn’t help himself at all.
When Mr. Monroe finished cleaning the burrs out of Bear’s hair, do you think he was sad? No sir! He wagged his tail and seemed as happy as could be. His burrs were gone!
ML-09/21/1997