Some kind friends gave Russ and his sister Elsie a very pretty birdhouse. Russ pounded a tall, strong post into the ground and set the birdhouse on top of it. “All I have to do now is nail the house to the post,” he said. But before he got around to it, a pair of titmice built a nest in it and laid their eggs.
One morning several weeks later they saw that a raccoon had been at work during the night. The birdhouse had been knocked off the post, the nest was destroyed, and the tiny eggs were eaten.
Russ, Elsie and their family were all very sad. And the little mother and father titmouse must have been sad too. The house had looked so pretty, but it wasn’t safe.
Without even knowing it, the poor little birds were an illustration of the unhappiness we cause when we put off doing something that should be done. Many of you children have heard the story of Jesus and how much He loves you. You have read in the Bible that you are a sinner. You also have been warned many times that you need to come to Jesus to have your sins washed away in His precious blood. But some of you haven’t done it. Maybe you intend to do it, but only intending to do it is still not doing it.
Russ picked up the house and set it back on the post. He intended to nail it there firmly. However, time passed, and the nails never found their way into the pretty little birdhouse to make it safe.
The next spring a pair of wrens reminded Russ and Elsie that they hadn’t put in any nails. But it was already too late - the nest was built and the eggs were laid. Many times every day the wrens sang them their beautiful little song. Russ and Elsie were glad to have the happy little birds there, and they hoped and hoped the birds would be able to raise their family safely.
Then one night there was a terrible storm. The rain poured down and flooded the yard and the wind blew branches off the trees. And in the morning when Russ and Elsie looked outside, the little birdhouse was sadly on the ground again.
Russ picked up the birdhouse and set it on the post. “Please, don’t put that there unless you are going to nail it and make it safe right now!” Elsie pleaded.
“God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not [doesn’t pay attention].” Job 33:1414For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. (Job 33:14). We all make lots of mistakes, but it’s very sad when we make the same mistake over and over. And not coming to Jesus to have your sins washed away is a very serious mistake. God warns us in the Bible of a terrible storm of judgment that He is going to bring on this sinful earth. But He has also told us that there is a safe place to be during that storm. That safe place is in heaven with Jesus. And you can be there!
Will you come to Jesus right now? Just tell Him that you know you are a sinner and are sorry about your sins, and believe that He died for you. He’ll wash every sin of yours away and carry you safe to heaven before He sends that terrible storm of judgment.
ML-05/09/1993