Jimmy rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed. The sun was streaming in his window, and it looked like just the right kind of day for a picnic.
“Ronnie,” he cried, “wake up quick and look out the window! This is the day of our Sunday school picnic, and see how bright it is!”
In a moment Jimmy and Ronnie were standing side by side, looking out the window with shining, happy faces.
They could think of nothing else. This was the day of their Sunday school picnic, and they were truly excited and happy. Breakfast was soon over, and they could hardly wait until eleven o’clock when they were to get on board the bus and travel out to the lake for their picnic.
At last when the great crowd of other boys and girls had gathered, they climbed on board and off they started.
Singing was the order of the day, and they joined in one chorus after another as they journeyed toward the picnic ground. Perhaps you can just picture the happy time they all had together, playing games, singing hymns, running races, and eating great quantities of sandwiches and cake. Before they returned home again, a Christian man by the name of Mr. Martin spoke to them for a while about the, wonderful and ever precious story of the Lord Jesus Christ and His love for boys and girls.
When it was all over they once again climbed on board the bus, and before long were all back in their homes again.
Now let us take another look at Ronnie and Jimmy. They have just climbed into their beds and are looking very tired. The big day is over and they will have to wait another whole year before the next Sunday school picnic.
I think most of us have looked forward to some such event, perhaps a picnic, perhaps a birthday. After hang enjoyed it very much, we look back to realize how very quickly it was all over.
Would you like to be able to look foward to a happy day that will never, never end? Oh, how you and I would look forward to such a day as that! I know a good many boys and girls, and I know a good many men and women, who are looking forward to just such a day. The Bible speaks of “eternity.” That is what lies ahead for every boy and every girl. In eternity there will be no more clocks; there will be no more calendars; there will be no more time. And everyone who spends eternity in heaven, will be hay forever. When I was a boy in Sunday school we used to sing a little hymn:
“There’s a home for little children Above the bright blue sky.”
We all enjoyed singing that hymn; but we must remember that no boy or girl, whose heart is stained with sin, can enter that lovely home.
How wonderful it is to know that the Lord Jesus, who lives in that home above the bright blue sky, once left that home, and came all the way down here into this world because he loved boys and girls. He laid down His life on the cross of Calvary, in order that you and I might know that our sins are forgiven. He died so that you and I might be able to look forward to spending eternity with Him in heaven forever. I have been looking forward to that for a long time now, and I know that when I enter the gates of heaven I will never even want to come out again.
The Sunday school picnic may have been happy, but it came to an end. Your birthday may have been very happy, but it also came to an end. All the pleasures that you ever enjoy down here will come to an end, but the pleasures of heaven are for eternity.
ML 09/30/1956