A Horrible Pit

Bible Reading: Psalm 40:1-5

Colton whistled for his dog. “Come on, Otto,” he said. “Let’s do a little exploring.” Otto joyfully came running, and the two went off to explore a wooded area near their home.

It was late in the fall. The ground was covered with a thick matting of leaves, and in some places the leaves were covered with a fresh blanket of newly fallen snow. “Look, Otto,” said Colton. “Let’s follow these animal tracks.” They followed the tracks deep into the woods before they disappeared. “We’d better go back,” said Colton. “We’ve never been this far in the woods before.”

Colton turned and started toward home, when suddenly—CRASH! He stumbled over a tree root and fell headlong into a very deep, sunken area in the ground. I wonder if somebody tried to dig a well here, he thought as he quickly got up, brushed himself off, and tried to climb up the steep sides of the pit. They were slippery, and he fell back to the bottom again and again. Otto stood at the top, barking and looking down anxiously. “Otto!” Colton called. “I can’t get out! Go get help!” Otto just whined. “Go home!” Colton ordered. He was relieved when Otto finally ran off.

Colton kept trying, but he couldn’t get out of the pit. It was getting dark, and he began to feel afraid. “Help!” he called at the top of his lungs. He thought he heard voices in the distance. “Help!” he yelled again. Soon a face appeared over the edge of the pit. “Dad!” Colton exclaimed in relief.

“When Otto came home without you, we figured you needed help,” said Dad, “so we came to find you. In fact, Otto led us here.”

“Good dog, Otto!” said Colton.

Several days later, Colton read a Bible verse about being taken up out of a pit. “Hey, I can relate to this verse,” he said. “It sounds like me!”

Dad nodded. “It’s a good description of people who trust in Jesus,” he said. “People can’t save themselves from the pit of sin, no matter how hard they try. That’s why Jesus died on the cross and rose again—to rescue us from that pit. Every person needs to be rescued from sin by Jesus!” Charles VanderMeer

How About You?

Do you think you can save yourself from the pit of sin? The Bible says you must be saved by Jesus, not by your own good deeds. Going to church, giving money, helping others—none of those things can save you. Stop trying to save yourself. Trust in Jesus instead. You need Him to rescue you. (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page.)

Today’s Key Verse:
Psalm 40:2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit… and gave me a firm place to stand. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Trust Jesus to save you