Going Back in Time

Bible Reading: 1 John 1:5-10

“Your mom’s calling you for lunch?” Tenley asked in surprise as she talked on the phone with her cousin Beth. “You mean you haven’t eaten lunch yet? It’s almost two in the afternoon! We ate a long time ago.”

“Well, it’s only noon here in Colorado, remember?” Beth replied. “We’re in different time zones.”

“Oh, that’s right!” said Tenley. “Well, I’d better go anyway—have a nice lunch.”

The girls said goodbye, and Tenley hung up. Then she wandered out to the backyard where her dad was working. “How about giving me a hand,” Dad said as he poured fertilizer out of a bag. “Come help me spread this fertilizer in the garden.”

“Eww!” said Tenley, turning back toward the house. “No way!”

“Hold on there!” said Dad. “I asked you to help me, and that’s what I expect you to do.”

“That’s a gross job, and I’m not getting all dirty for a bunch of stupid plants!” Tenley called over her shoulder. Then she hurried away.

When Tenley found herself sitting alone in her room a few minutes later, she wished she had obeyed her father, but it was too late now. She knew she deserved to be punished.

When Dad came to Tenley’s room, she looked up sadly. “I wish we were in Colorado,” she said tearfully. “It’s two hours earlier there—just a little after twelve o’clock instead of two o’clock—so the time I got into trouble hasn’t happened there yet. When it got to be two o’clock, I would obey you and help with the fertilizer instead of talking back. I wish I hadn’t done that.”

Dad sat down on the bed. “Things that have happened can’t be made to unhappen,” he said. “We can’t go back in time, but we can be forgiven for the wrong we’ve done. You don’t need to move to another time zone for that. When you let Jesus know you’re truly sorry, He’ll forgive you—and I will too.”

Tenley jumped up. “I am sorry, Dad!” she said. “I really am!”

Dad smiled. “Good!” he said as Tenley gave him a hug. “Then you can come out now and help me finish with the fertilizer.”

Tenley sighed. “Okay, Dad,” she said. “I will!” – Nance E. Keyes

How About You?

Have you ever wished you could go back and undo something you’ve done? You can’t do that, but if you’re truly sorry for what you did, you can be forgiven. If what you did hurt other people, do your best to make things right with them. Let them know you’re sorry, and accept the consequences of your sin. Most important, confess your sin to Jesus and ask for His forgiveness.

Today’s Key Verse:
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Today’s Key Thought:

God forgives