I recently watched Tom Brady play football out in Tampa Bay. It was unbelievable. Growing up playing football and being a bystander as well as a student of the game off and on throughout my life, I have never been more impressed by another player. I had my childhood heroes and still have my all-time favorites, but from a purely analytical standpoint, I am more and more convinced that this 46-year-old man from California is the G.O.A.T. up to this time.
So, while I really want this last animal of our series to be the goat as well, we will turn our attention to the goat’s closest relative, the sheep!
Jesus has forever been known as the “spotless lamb of God” who would “take away the sin of the world.” (1 Peter 1:19 & John 1:29). Historically speaking, a lamb was recognizably an element of sustenance both physically and spiritually for the Israelites, beginning at the exodus of Egypt when the blood of the animal was spread on the door post to the house to save the family inside and every family who were ranchers or at least consumers of sheep.
There are many similarities between sheep and goats but many differences as well. Both are quadruped ungulates (4-footed hooved animals) as well as ruminants (even-toed ungulates with 4-chambered stomachs that allow for multi-faceted digestion and regurgitation).
A couple differences are that sheep have a divided upper lip while goats do not. And goats have a sweet beard (or goatee) while sheep have a mane.
The distinction that I find extremely fascinating, however, is that sheep are very resilient to pasture parasites because of their eating habits, while goats struggle to resist parasitic infections because of theirs.
I’d like to finish our series as we head into the weekend, celebrate Christmas, and prepare for the new year, with this thought:
While the GOAT is tempting to keep our attention, the LAMB will give us new life.
When we receive this gift of the sacrificial lamb (in Jesus) we develop a resiliency to the parasites of this world. The lamb of God is the necessary element to make restitution for that which is broken in our hearts and provides us a promise of eternal life that begins NOW. We can stand in the world, filled with darkness and evil and pain and sorrow, and not be destroyed.
Would you allow and accept this beautiful gift this Christmas and anticipate the new life that comes with the LAMB?
If you’ve already received it, then please, be sure to share it with others. There’s no reason to let the rest of the world suffer from all the parasites that destroy a person from the inside out.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, YA FILTHY ANIMAL!!!
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