It was a beautiful January day with a foot of snow on the ground. Danny, who was nine, and his sister Jill, who was eight, were looking for something fun to do. After talking together, they finally came up with a plan that they were sure would be a lot of fun!
They had to plan carefully, though. They did not want anyone to know what they were up to. So they waited until their mother was busy with their baby brother and would soon have to put him down for a nap. They figured this would keep her busy for quite a long time, giving them plenty of time to carry out their plan.
They quietly put on their winter jackets and boots and left the house, then walked across the road and went behind a row of pine trees. Behind the row of pine trees was a field that had a barn. In the barn were mounds of hay, and this is what Danny and Jill were headed for.
Then they got very busy. They carried several armloads of hay outside to the field behind the barn. After a while, they felt that they had a big enough pile of hay. Now for the fun part of their plan! Danny took out some matches that he had, struck one and lit the hay. At first, the flames were tiny, and the hay only burned a little bit. But soon they began to shoot up and crackle and snap! Danny and Jill were delighted! Their plan had worked just as they thought it would, and they could hardly wait to see all of the hay disappear in flames!
But Danny and Jill had forgotten something. God tells us, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:2323But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)). Just when they were really beginning to enjoy watching the flames go higher and higher, they heard footsteps crunching through the snow and coming towards them! Oh no! Who could that be? Looking up, they saw their mother coming around the corner of the barn with her heavy boots and winter coat on. There was no time to run, and not even enough time to hide! There was no denying what they had done—she had caught them in the very act! Quickly, they all threw snow on the flames, and the fire was soon put out.
Their mother had to punish both Danny and Jill. She gave them a good scolding and then she gave each one what the Bible calls “the rod of correction.” There was a very wise and good reason for this. What Danny and Jill had done was foolish and dangerous, and they knew it was wrong to play with matches or start any kind of fire. Starting a fire could have caused a lot of harm and damage. What if the fire had gotten too big for them to control? What if the wind had picked up and the barn had caught on fire? They could have easily burned themselves in trying to control the fire. This is why our all-wise God says, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him” (Proverbs 22:1515Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. (Proverbs 22:15)).
But there was something else that Danny and Jill had forgotten. The Bible tells us, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:33The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. (Proverbs 15:3)). They mistakenly thought that nobody could see them, but God was looking down and saw everything they did. Not only that, but their mother realized that they had been gone too long and that it was too quiet. In love, she came looking for them and found them before any harm could be done.
Boys and girls, God wants us to come to Him while we are young so that we do not have to suffer everlasting punishment for our sins. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)). Jesus died for our sins on the cross. When we put our trust in Him and let Him forgive our sins, then we can be sure that we will spend eternity with Him in His happy home in heaven. “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)). Not only that, the Lord Jesus will help you to please Him if you ask Him to. “Unto Him that is able to keep you from falling [sinning], and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 2424Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (Jude 24)). Why not put your trust in Him now, while you are young? He will help you do what is right.
ML-01/28/2018