Dear Children,
Hello again from Grampa, and a big “WOOF WOOF” from our dog named Wesley. At 6:45 this morning, I was taking him out for our usual walk. It had snowed overnight, and many tracks of various animals were very plain to see—rabbits, squirrels, foxes and even an opossum. Wesley wasn’t paying attention to the animals’ tracks because he had found a mouse tunnel under the snow, and he was determined that he was going to catch that mouse.
By this time, I was heading back to the house. I had given him plenty of time to catch that mouse, but he couldn’t seem to do it. As I reached the door, I turned and called, “Wesley, Wesley,” and then I whistled for him. He lifted up his head both times, looked at me, but kept right on digging in the snow. I wondered what I should do next. Get the broom? Get the leash? He heard me and knew I was calling his name. But Wesley was being real stubborn and disobedient!
Boys and girls, do you ever act like that? Are you sometimes just plain stubborn or pretend you don’t hear and don’t bother to answer? Sure you do, and God sees it and calls it sin! Well, God took care of this Wesley problem for me, real quick!
“Grampa, how did He help you with Wesley?”
Here’s what God did. In our backyard down by the edge of the creek, we have a very tall oak tree, and a blue jay had landed on a branch right near the top. I didn’t see that blue jay land in the tree, but I sure heard him begin screeching about something! Up here where we live, these blue jays are nicknamed “sentinels” or “watchdogs of the forest.”
“Grampa, why are they given those names?”
I’ll tell you why. When blue jays know or see that danger is near, they screech as loud as they can. This is what they are saying: “Be on guard! Be on guard!” And all the creatures in the forest will fly or run for cover instantly! Wesley heard that screech from the blue jay, and he ran to me as fast as his legs would carry him through that deep snow. He wasn’t worried about the mouse now, because he knew the blue jay was calling, “Be on guard! Be on guard!” This blue jay was sitting where it could see the danger that was near, and it was warning all the other creatures to run for safety. So Wesley ran straight to me, because he knew I would protect him.
Boys and girls, listen to what our God says about you and me. We read in Genesis 2:77And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7), “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” So young or old, we are each a living soul. God gave the first man a name; He called him Adam. But Adam became disobedient and would not listen to his Father God. So then what happened?
Disobedience is sin, and God must punish sin. We read in Ezekiel 18:44Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. (Ezekiel 18:4), “Behold, all souls are Mine ... the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Those are very serious words from our Father God. But our Father in heaven is a very loving Father God, and He has given you and me a choice to make. Will you choose heaven or hell? We read in Acts 16:3030And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30) about a big, strong prison guard who cried out for help: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And the immediate answer is in verse 31: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”!
Even though neither Wesley nor I knew what the danger was that made the blue jay screech its warning, Wesley was wise to run to me for protection. Now, will you be wise and come to the Lord Jesus Christ today to be saved? Or are you going to be stubborn and have to face the awful punishment of hell?
With lots of love,
Grampa
ML-01/09/2011