Flash Knows the Way

Bible Reading: Luke 18:9-14

“Whoa!” called Uncle Mike when his horse suddenly reared as a pheasant whirled up right under its feet. “Whoa, boy!” But even though he was an experienced rider, Uncle Mike fell from the horse, and it galloped off toward home.

“Uncle Mike!” exclaimed Beck, pulling his own horse to a stop. He was spending the day on a hunting trip on Uncle Mike’s ranch.

“I’ll be all right,” Uncle Mike assured Beck after assessing his injuries, “but I think my leg is broken. We’ll have to call for help.” He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and groaned. “Looks like I landed on my phone when I fell. The screen is cracked, and it won’t turn on.” He turned to Beck. “You’ll have to ride for help.”

“But I don’t know the way, and it will be dark soon!” said Beck.

“Flash knows the way,” Uncle Mike told him. “Just lay the reins over the saddle horn and don’t try to guide him. Even if it gets dark, he’ll find his way. Trust the horse. Tell the ranch hands I’m in Coyote Canyon—they’ll know where to find me.”

Beck started off. It seemed to take a long, long time, and he shivered whenever he heard coyotes howling. But he didn’t touch the reins, even when he felt like Flash must be going the wrong direction. Finally he saw lights in the distance. “You did it! Good boy, Flash!” Soon an ambulance was on its way and some of the ranch hands were riding off to find Uncle Mike.

“You know what?” Beck asked his uncle the next day. “This morning I was reading my Bible, and I came to the story about the Pharisee and tax collector. The Pharisee thought he could work his way to heaven, but the tax collector just prayed and trusted God. I realized that’s what we have to do too—just trust God. And I think trusting Flash was a good example of that. I never would have found the way home. I just trusted Flash to bring me here, and he did.”

Uncle Mike smiled and nodded. “You completely trusted Flash, and we need to completely trust Jesus. None of us can find the way to heaven by ourselves. Jesus is the only one who can take us there.” – Harry C. Trover

How About You?

Are you trusting Jesus? There’s nothing you can do to find your own way to heaven. In today’s Bible reading, the Pharisee mentioned all the good things he did, but it was the simple prayer of the tax collector that God heard. Make his prayer your own and put your trust in Jesus. (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page.)

Today’s Key Verse:
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Trust Jesus for salvation