I am sure every boy and girl wants to go to heaven. It is a place of eternal life and joy and costs nothing to go there. It is a free gift to all who believe that Jesus died for their very own sins and accept His gift of salvation. Don’t you think it would be a dreadful thing to expect to be accepted into heaven and then discover that you don’t have a “passport” or the right “key.” This story might help you understand a little of what it might be like.
Three men from the country decided they wanted to visit a large city and spend the weekend sightseeing. They arrived at their hotel and were given a large room on the twenty-ninth floor. So as not to waste any time, they stored their bags in the hotel lobby and then began to take a sightseeing walk around the city.
After a few hours they were tired and decided to go back to the hotel for a rest. How they looked forward to getting off their feet and lying down in a nice, comfortable room.
When they got to the hotel, they were told that, unfortunately, the elevator was out of order. They could either walk up the stairs to the twenty-ninth floor or take cheaper rooms on the second floor. After talking it over, they decided to walk up the stairs so they could enjoy the larger room with a wonderful view of the city.
And so they began to climb . . . up one floor . . . up the next . . . three . . . four . . . and they had to rest . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight . . . their legs were getting really tired, but they dragged themselves on, resting and slowly climbing up and up. When at last they reached their door on the twenty-ninth floor, they looked at each other for the key. Who had the key? You can imagine their great disappointment when they realized that none of them had asked for the key from the attendant at the hotel desk. They were so close to a place of rest . . . but they couldn’t get in! They had neglected the most important thing of all.
While these men knew that somehow they could struggle on a little longer and go down again to get the key, it will not be the same for anyone who does not have the “key” to heaven. God has planned only one way to heaven. He has sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to die in our place, so that all who believe in Him and accept Him as their Saviour will be welcome there. The Bible tells us that “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)). With Jesus we have a place of rest and joy promised to us when we leave this world, for He said, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2323Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:23)). And if we have taken Him as our Saviour, we won’t have to worry that we might be turned away, for He Himself is the key.
Do not neglect the most important thing of all - do not leave this world without Him! He is the key!
ML-04/09/2006