Many of you boys and girls have read some of my Grampa’s interesting stories about his dog Wesley and about wild animals and birds that live near his house. I have loved visiting my Grampa and Gramma ever since I was a little girl. I liked to catch frogs, go fishing and even canoe up their creek.
There is something I have seen that happens almost every year in the marsh behind their house. In the spring the Canada geese come back to the marsh to build nests and lay their eggs. I look forward to seeing the cute, fluffy goslings, and if I don’t get to see them, Grampa always takes pictures to show me.
As you know, in the spring God makes it rain a lot so the plants can start to grow after winter. Almost every year the geese build their nests too low in the marsh or too early when it’s still cold. When they build their nests too low, their nests become flooded after it rains, and the eggs float away. If they build their nests too early, it gets so cold at night that the eggs freeze and won’t hatch.
I asked Grampa why they keep making the same mistake. Why don’t they learn from the year before? That is just like us, isn’t it? We do bad things over and over again, even though we know they’re wrong and that they’re sin. Why do we keep sinning? The Bible says we were born sinners: “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:1212Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)).
It is sad that the geese make the same mistake almost every year, and it is sad that we continue sinning. But there is good news for you and me. Because God loves us so much, He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die and suffer the penalty for our sins. “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)).
I knew I was a sinner and trusted in Jesus when I was a little girl. I still sin, but when I ask the Lord Jesus to help me and I choose His way, He keeps me from sin. I want to please God because of everything He has done for me.
You know, sometimes those Canada geese are able to lay more eggs after losing their first nest of eggs. I hope this spring I can visit Grampa and Gramma and see some fluffy little goslings. And I hope more than anything else that you will trust in Jesus as your Saviour right away and not wait until spring, so you can spend eternity with Him in heaven.
ML-04/03/2011