JUMP! JUMP! JUMP! Three boys splashed into the irrigation canal one hot August day. “Hey, look! There are some birds in the water!” exclaimed one of the boys. Sure enough, there were three baby swallows floating in the water. “They must have fallen out of one of those mud nests under the bridge.”
The boys brought the birds home and tried to feed them, but they wouldn’t eat. Then they let them go free, but they couldn’t fly. For several days we saw them around the yard, hopping from one hiding place to the next. We really hoped they would learn to fly quickly, because there were two things that could happen. The first danger was our cat; he would love to catch three helpless birds! The second danger was that the rest of the swallows were getting ready to fly south. If these little birds didn’t learn to fly, they would be left behind for a cold, snowy winter. The result of either danger would be death for those little birds!
If you haven’t learned to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation from sin, you are just like those three swallows that hadn’t learned to fly. The first danger is that you could die while still in your sins. Satan is our enemy, and he would like you to think it’s nothing to worry about, but it is a terrible danger. The second danger is being left behind when the Lord Jesus comes to take to heaven all those who have trusted Him for their salvation. The result of either danger is an eternity in the awfulness of hell.
Do you have parents, friends or Sunday school teachers who are urging you to come to the Lord Jesus now to have your sins washed away? They are deeply concerned about you. The Bible warns, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:33How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Hebrews 2:3)).
Those little birds had others who were worried about them too. The swallows that nested on our house swooped down near those babies and seemed to be warning them of danger. The older swallows chirped and made noises as if they were so concerned.
As we watched those little swallows hopping around the yard, we wished that we could tell them, “Please hurry! Learn to fly!” And we want to tell you, “Please hurry before it’s too late! Trust in the Lord Jesus to save you from your sins!”
ML-01/25/2015