Good Work Gratefulness

Bible Reading: Romans 11:5-6; Ephesians 2:1-10

Asher ran to the door when he heard boots on the stairs. “Dad!” he cried.

Dad scooped Asher up into a big hug. “I’ve missed you!” Dad said. “My work trip was only a few days, but it felt too long.” Dad hugged Mom, then bent to unzip his suitcase. “I’ve got something for you.” Dad handed Asher a bag.

Asher opened the bag. His face lit up when he saw his present. “Cool! Thanks, Dad!” Asher pulled out a small notebook with the Golden Gate Bridge on the cover.

“I thought you might like a new notebook for your drawings,” Dad said.

Asher grinned. The first thing he would draw would be a thank-you card for Dad.

Before bedtime, Asher gave Dad the card.

“Asher, I love it! Thank you!” Dad said.

Asher smiled, then worked up the courage to ask the question he had been thinking about all day. “Dad, I’ve been wanting to ask you something.” Asher took a deep breath. “How can I ever be good enough to go to heaven?”

Dad looked up from the card. “Why would you say that?”

“Because no matter how much good I do, I always do more bad things! Why would God let me into heaven if I can’t do enough good things?” Asher asked.

“Asher, why did you give me this thank-you note? Why didn’t you give me money instead to pay me back for the notebook?”

“But it was a gift!” Asher exclaimed.

“Exactly,” Dad said. “Because it was a gift, you don’t need to pay me for it. The same is true with our salvation. Jesus forgives our sins free of charge, just like a gift. All we need to do is receive His gift.” Dad held up the thank-you card. “Our good works are just like this card. We can’t use them to buy our way into heaven. Christians do good things because we are grateful to God for saving us and want to say thank you.”

Asher thought about what Dad said. “I want to do that too. Can I ask Jesus to save me and then thank Him for His forgiveness?”

Dad smiled. “Let’s pray.”

-Olivia Summers

How About You?

Do you do good things because you want to get into heaven? The Bible says good works can’t save us. The only way to be saved from sin and have eternal life is by trusting in Jesus, who died and rose again so our sins could be forgiven and we could have new life in Him. Trust Him to save you. (To learn more, click the “Good News!” button in the right column of this page.) Then you can use your good works to show your gratitude and bless others.

Today’s Key Verse:
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then [salvation] cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Good works don’t save