We were visiting friends in Mexico City and had been invited to breakfast with other friends who lived across the city. On our trip back to the home where we were staying, we were driving on a very busy street with several lanes of traffic going each direction. Traffic was moving along well, so we were enjoying seeing the city sights.
Suddenly, there was a traffic slowdown, and we were wondering what the problem was. Then we reached the trouble spot and saw something very sad. An ambulance was parked in the left lane with a policeman guarding it. In front of the ambulance was a woman lying on the street. She must have tried to cross the busy street and been hit by a car.
When we were able to drive on, we noticed that the city had provided an overhead walkway for people to cross the busy street in complete safety. If you will look carefully at the picture, you can see the bottom part of the walkway over the ambulance.
You may ask, “Why didn’t she use the overhead walkway to get safely across the street?”
Good question. The woman is the only one who can answer that.
Now here is a good question for you. Are you using God’s way to get to heaven?
People think there are many ways to get to heaven. But God’s Word, the Bible, clearly tells us there is only one way, and it is perfectly safe and sure, because God has provided it. In the Bible, which is God’s Word to us, God tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). And in Romans 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) God tells us, “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Because God is holy, He must punish sin, so the only way we can escape judgment for our sins is if someone else will take the punishment in our place. And God, in His goodness and grace, has provided that perfect substitute for us.
God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take our place in judgment for us, so that now God offers forgiveness as a gift to every person who will simply take God’s Son as their personal substitute. 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) says, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Let me ask you again: Are you on the way to heaven? Have you accepted God’s gift? “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:1818He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)).
ML-10/17/2004