Dear Boys and Girls,
Where we live we have lots and lots of birds that we feed every day. They always sing for us to let us know that they are very happy for the food that we provide for them. We also feed the wild ducks, geese and other water-loving birds that live along the creek and come into our backyard. We always enjoy the birds that visit us, and they are welcome.
We also have a very long, wire fence on the east side of our property that keeps the wild animals from coming into our backyard. This fence is 500 feet long! It stops the raccoons, foxes, coyotes, possums, rabbits and other animals from coming in close to our house. They are not welcome.
“Grampa, is there a gate or door in your fence?”
No, because gates and doors seem to have a way of being left open! You know, I forget to close a door sometimes. Have you ever done that? If there were a door in the fence, why I might forget to close it, and that would be an invitation for the animals to come right into our backyard. Then Cricket and Mittens, our cat, wouldn’t be safe.
Do you boys and girls know that there’s a door into heaven that is open right now for anyone who will go in? The Lord Jesus said, “I am the door: by Me if any man [woman, boy or girl] enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:99I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10:9)). Those are wonderful words from the Bible! But there is a time coming when the door to heaven will be closed, and that time could be very soon. The Lord Jesus will be coming back to take all of us to heaven who have had our sins washed away. Then the door to heaven will be closed! Be sure your sins have been washed away. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
One morning, Cricket, our little dog, was wandering around like she does and found her way down and around the end of the fence to the other side of it. How she got that far away is a mystery to us. We don’t let her go that far away. I opened the door and called her to come in, but no Cricket came running. She always comes when we call her. So then Gramma started calling her. Still no Cricket. Uh, oh. She must be someplace where she is not supposed to be, and she is lost!
Have you ever had that feeling, “I’m lost”? It’s not a nice feeling. And for Cricket, it means she’s on dangerous ground! She has lots of enemies wherever she is! So Gramma and I decided to pray, asking our Father in heaven to help us find her. He sees all, knows all and hears all, so He can help us find her.
So I got in my car and drove slowly along the road with the windows rolled down, and I kept calling, “CRICKET, CRICKET!” I stopped every little bit and listened for her bark ... I heard nothing. So I prayed again, and then I searched some more. Finally I turned the car around to go back home.
Just before I reached our driveway, I suddenly saw Cricket running down to the end of the fence, across our neighbor’s front lawn, then up our driveway, and into Gramma’s waiting arms! Gramma and I stopped right then and there and gave thanks to God for bringing Cricket safely home!
Jesus is looking and waiting for boys and girls to come to Him to have their sins washed away. His loving arms are open wide for any who will come to Him, just like Gramma’s waiting arms scooped up Cricket to take her safely into the house. Will you let Jesus wash your sins away so you will have a safe home in heaven waiting for you?
ML-11/20/2016