One day when I was quite young, my family and I went to the library. It had two doors—a regular door that you pulled or pushed open, and one made up of several glass panels, with separate compartments large enough for a person to stand in. To get past the second door I described, you still had to push, but you walked in a semicircle instead of straight in.
On the day of my story, however, I did not know that. What I did know was that the “spinning door” looked like lots of fun. My mom and brother stepped in, and the door started turning. (I thought that was because it was self-propelled.) Then it was my turn. I stepped in, with the door still spinning. The fun had just begun! That’s when my shoe got stuck under the door and it stopped moving. I guess I have to push, I finally understood. Now, I could hardly wait to get out; I was excited to see what I thought was the exit. Then, BANG! My head hit thick glass, and I discovered that I had not reached the opening at all.
I finally did get out, but I had a lot more respect for that door, and I realized that looks can be deceiving. Something that seems fun can actually be dangerous or hurtful!
In a more serious way, sin sometimes looks fun. However, it isn’t long before we find out that it actually gets us in trouble, and with sin come consequences and danger.
God hates sin and must punish it. Unless our sins are paid for, we will have to take the punishment for all the wrong we have ever done, forever, in a place called hell. The good news is that God loves us! He doesn’t want anyone to go to hell, so He sent His own Son to take the punishment for our sins, if we will simply receive His wonderful gift of love. We who believe on the Lord Jesus will not have to suffer our own punishment in hell for all eternity, but can go to live with Him in a wonderful place called heaven when we die. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)).
Messages of God’s Love 12/27/2020