Memory Verse: “We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved.”
Susie, Amy, Ann and Peter, each carrying a pail of wild blueberries, moved slowly through the woods. They talked about lots of things as they picked from the little bushes that were loaded with berries. It was a beautiful, warm, summer afternoon, just perfect for being outside.
After several hours of picking, nine-year-old Susie, who was the oldest, suggested they start for home. The shadows were growing long as they started back towards the farm where they lived. They walked for some time, but still didn’t come to the dirt road they wanted to find. After wandering around for almost an hour, Susie said to the others, “Now, don’t cry, but I think we’re lost!”
Discussing what they should do next, Amy suggested that they ask the Lord Jesus to help them. The three sisters thought that was a good idea, but their cousin Peter said he didn’t want to pray. The three girls knelt down on the ground and each one asked the Lord Jesus to help them. They were used to talking to the Lord Jesus, because they knew Him as their Saviour. Peter, however, was not saved and did not love the Lord Jesus. He just walked on while the girls prayed. Catching up to Peter, Amy told him that if he didn’t ask the Lord for help, he would probably be lost in the woods all night! Peter just laughed, saying that since they were all together, how could he be the only one lost in the woods all night?
The four of them walked a little farther when suddenly little Ann wailed, “I left my bucket back there!” She had not picked it up again after they had knelt down to pray. It was just a short way back, but Susie didn’t want Ann to go back alone. She suggested they all go back together, but Peter refused. He didn’t want to go back and decided to himself that he’d find his own way out.
The three girls left Peter and soon found Ann’s pail of berries. But when they got back to where they had left Peter, he was nowhere to be found. As they wandered around looking and calling for Peter, they discovered a cow walking in the woods.
“Hey, that’s one of our cows!” exclaimed Susie. “We can follow it!”
The cow was the answer to their prayers. After following its wandering path for quite awhile, the cow eventually guided them out of the woods. Then it was easy to find their way home.
Peter, however, was still lost. He wanted to do things his own way, and so he was left in the woods all alone.
By the time the girls got home and told their parents that Peter was lost, it was nearly dark. Right away they began to search for him, but soon it was too dark, and then it began to rain. Lightening flashed and thunder crashed; it rained heavily all through the night.
Early the following morning, they finally found Peter—soaked, frightened and lonely. Picking him up, they wrapped him in a blanket and carried him back home.
I am sure that Peter, who is now an old man, will never forget that night alone in the woods. But Peter didn’t learn from his mistake. He still wants to find his own way to heaven, just like he wanted to find his own way out of the woods—without anyone’s help. Don’t be stubborn like Peter. The Lord Jesus Christ is looking for anyone who is wandering away from Him. He loves them and wants to pick them up in His strong arms and carry them home to His Father’s home in heaven. But no sin can enter into heaven, so the Lord Jesus had to die on the cross. He took your place there willingly and was punished for your sins. Now He can wash your sins away in His precious blood so that you are ready for heaven. Won’t you let Him wash away your sins and lift you onto His shoulders right now? He wants to carry you safely home to heaven. “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:1010For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10).
ML-07/19/1981