"Bear" is the name of a big furry dog. He is called "Bear" because he has a head that looks something like a bear's head and a very thick neck like a bear has. He is black all over except for his paws which are white. The first few times I saw Bear he growled at me and frightened me, even though his master was standing right there.

Bear could hunt quite well in the woods. None of the small animals were safe, once he decided to track them down, that is, not until he met "Mr. Porcupine." Bear's strength, his fierce growl and his great hunting ability didn't do him one bit of good when he met the porcupine.

His first scrap with the porcupine was perhaps the most unpleasant. Without the help of his master and the vet, Bear would have died.

Since Bear had never seen a porcupine before, you can probably guess how he went after it ... the wrong way. He pounced on the porcupine and tried to bite him. The porcupine arched its back so that its quills, which come out easily, stuck not only into Bear's nose, cheeks, chin and paws -- they also stuck inside his mouth and even in his throat! Poor Bear!

When his master arrived home, he found Bear whimpering in agony and about as sick as any dog could be. His master got a pair of pliers and pulled out as many quills as he could, but the ones in Bear's throat had to be removed by the vet. The poor dog was in pain for at least another week and had to take medicine so the quill punctures wouldn't get infected.

What do you think Bear did the next time he saw a porcupine? You wouldn't believe it! He went after it again! He didn't attack quite as forcefully as he did the first time, but he still had to go to the animal hospital to have more quills removed and have more medicine. This happened six times before he learned to leave porcupines alone!

Doesn't that sound stupid? Perhaps. But you know, boys and girls, we are a lot like Bear. We think we are strong and able and a match for sin and the devil. But just as Bear didn't learn the first time, we don't always learn our lesson right away either, even after we get "stung" by sin.

Bear would have died if his master had not come to his rescue. You and I would die in our sins if the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, had not come to rescue us. The Bible says that "the sting of death is sin" (1 Corinthians 15:56) and that "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23). Satan has "fiery darts," that he hurls at us, and we certainly are no match for sin or Satan. We need a Master, a Saviour who can save us from the awful result of sin. The Lord Jesus died and shed His blood to wash away all our sins. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). Though "the wages of sin is death ... the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

Won't you accept Jesus as your Saviour? Trusting Him gives us a shield to protect us from those fiery darts. The Bible says, "Taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Ephesians 6:16). Won't you "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and ... be saved" (Acts 16:31)?

Copied with permission from Messages of God's Love published by Bible Truth Publishers, Addison, IL  60101.

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