The boys called him Sam. He was a likeable fellow. He seemed to be very innocent as he roamed free around the Haven grounds. No need to keep him tied or penned up in a shed. That would be a shame so it seemed.

There were a few problems letting him roam free.

I noticed some of the flowers began to lose their heads in a mysterious way. The lower branches of trees began to be stripped of leaves. Footprints appeared on the new lawn where grass seed had just been sown. It was noticed that Sam licked up some of the seed that wasn`t covered completely. Goat poo began to appear on the new paving around the new building. The lovely white chips, which decorate the area beyond the paving, started to take on a new look which was not on the original plan. Wee black spots changed what was a beautiful area into a terrible mess.

I very quickly changed the goat`s name from Sam, to Sin. I saw the terrible devastation that the goat was causing and likened it to what sin does in a person’s life, if it is left unchecked.

Sin makes us enemies with God. It causes us to do things which God hates.

God is the Gardener of our hearts. He wants our lives to be like a well-watered garden. Isaiah ch 58 v 11.

Just as I, the gardener for The Haven, was greatly disturbed by the mess the goat was causing, likewise God, the gardener of our hearts, is more than disturbed, He is heart-broken, by what He sees when he looks into our heart which is full of the sin of rebellion, anger, resentment, lies and deceit, to name a few. We all have sin in us.Romans ch. 3v23 says, All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

In order to solve the problem of the mess at The Haven a simple solution was implemented. The goat was removed from the premises and given a new home.

In order for our Heavenly Gardener to solve the mess sin has caused worldwide, because that’s how big the problem has become, He had to deal with it Himself.

John ch. 1 v 29, John the Baptist called Jesus, The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

Jesus, unlike the goat at the haven that made a mess, He came like a lamb to clean up our mess.

He did this when he hung on the cross. God took our sin and laid it on Jesus and He took it to the grave when He died for us. He had no sin of his own so death could not hold Him so He rose triumphant and offers us a clean heart, like a clean and tidy garden.

The choice is yours, to continue to live in sin and it`s mess, or invite Jesus into your heart and receive His forgiveness for your sin, and enjoy a clean life, as Jesus keeps you clean day by day.

Donnie Black