A Hole in One

Bible Reading: Romans 3:23-25

Jason lined up his first putt. He hit his golf ball through the spinning windmill, and it bounced off the far wall and rolled to a stop just a few feet away from the hole.

“Great shot, buddy!” said Dad. It was Mason’s first time mini-golfing, and his dad was teaching him how to play. “That was a great way to start the game. My turn now, and then whoever is farther away from the hole after that goes next.” Dad steadied his shoulders, took aim, and swung.

Dad’s ball went straight through the tunnel, barely dodging the windmill blades. It kept rolling over the green turf, slowed to a crawl, and almost stopped before tipping into the cup.

“Wow, a hole in one! I can’t believe it!” Mason exclaimed. He was sure he’d never be able to play like that.

“I admit, that was pretty cool. I didn’t think I was going to be able to do that,” Dad said as he reached into the cup to retrieve his ball. “It’s really tough to get a hole in one.”

“Do you think I’ll ever be able to do that someday too?” Mason asked.

“You probably could, with practice. You even got pretty close on your first shot today,” Dad replied. They continued to play, and Mason kept trying for his own hole in one, but he never quite made it.

“You’re right, Dad, getting a hole in one is a lot tougher than it looks. I don’t think I’ll ever be good enough.” Mason sighed. “It’s like what I learned in Bible club last week. We talked about how no one is good enough to get into heaven on their own.”

Dad nodded. “That’s a really good point. Earning your way into heaven is even more impossible than getting a hole in one every time your whole life. No matter how hard we try, we could never be good enough to get into heaven. There’s only one person who is.”

“Right—Jesus!” said Mason. “He died on the cross so we wouldn’t have to be punished for the bad stuff we’ve done. The only way to get to heaven is to trust Him to save us.”

Mason lined up his ball and putted, then gave his dad a huge grin as it went straight into the hole. – Dylan Kraayenbrink

How About You?

Do you think you can get into heaven on your own? If you’ve done even just one bad thing that goes against what God commands—like telling a little lie to your parents or taking something that’s not yours—you have failed. And the Bible says we’ve all failed to do what’s right. That’s why God sent His perfect Son, Jesus, to die for us. We can only get into heaven by trusting in Him. (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page.)

Today’s Key Verse: Romans 3:10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.”

Today’s Key Thought:

Only Jesus can bring you into heaven