Dear Children,
Do you remember the letter I wrote to you a while back about our dog Cricket and when she got stung by a honeybee? You may remember that the bee was buzzing around Gramma’s flower bed, going from one flower to the next gathering honey. Cricket saw the bee and moved up real close to it, watching it closely. Gramma and I both warned her, “Don’t touch it, Cricket! Leave it alone!” But she didn’t listen to us and caught that bee in her mouth, and you know what happened next! We had a very sad little dog with a very sore mouth for several days. Well, I’m happy to tell you that she learned her lesson that day and never forgot it!
Some days later, Gramma and I were sitting in the very same place, enjoying those beautiful flowers and Cricket was also with us. And, yes, the honeybees were also enjoying those pretty flowers. Cricket spotted a bee fairly close to her, so she got up and went over to investigate it! We watched her, and the closer she got to the bee, the slower she walked. Then suddenly, she turned around very quickly and ran back to us and laid down right under Gramma’s chair! We both had a good laugh at Cricket, but we were really happy that she had remembered that painful bee sting. Cricket had learned her lesson.
And you and I have a serious lesson to learn from our God in heaven who loves us. When anyone breaks one of God’s commandments, THAT IS SIN! Telling lies, swearing and stealing are all sins, and no sin, not even one, can enter heaven. Sin has a sting to it, and it’s a whole lot worse than a bee sting. God has told us in the Bible that “the sting of death is sin” (1 Corinthians 15:5656The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:56)). “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:5555O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Corinthians 15:55)). But here’s the good news: “Thanks be to God, [who gives] us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:5757But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)).
Cricket, who is a smart little dog, must have thought to herself, Leave that bee alone! One burning sting is enough! Remember, breaking one of God’s holy commandments is a sin ... it’s a sting! How many times have you been stung by sin? Lots and lots! But our loving God has a cure for all those stings. He can remove them forever, if you will let Him. He says in 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), “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
The Bible tells us the true story of a man who heard the Word of God being preached, and he realized how big a sinner he was. He shouted with a loud voice, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:3030And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30)). The answer came at once: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). What joy and happiness he thankfully received.
Children, you can also receive that same joy and happiness if you will believe in your heart that the Lord Jesus bled and died for you so that you could be cleansed from every sin and its sting forever. Will you do that right now?
Gramma and I love all of you,
Grampa
ML-01/04/2015