Payment Made

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 1:17-21

“Oh, no!” moaned Megan. “I won’t be able to mail this birthday card to Grandma until Monday.”

“Why not?” asked Megan’s little sister, Charis. “The mailman hasn’t come yet. I’ll go put it in the mailbox for you.”

Megan shook her head. “We’re out of stamps,” she said. “Without a stamp on the envelope, this won’t go anywhere.”

Charis looked thoughtful for a moment and then bounded off to her bedroom. She soon returned with her hands behind her back and a grin on her face.

“What are you hiding?” asked Megan.

Charis beamed with pride as she held out a roll of dinosaur stickers. “You can use one of my stamps to mail your letter,” she said.

Megan smiled at her sister. “That’s very nice of you, Charis, but I’m afraid your stickers won’t work,” said Megan. “A letter has to have a postage stamp on it. Your stickers are nice, but letters have to have the real thing.”

Charis frowned, and Megan tried to explain. “Postage stamps are a special kind of sticker. You buy them at the post office, and when you stick one on a letter, it shows that you’ve paid for the letter to be delivered. Then the people at the post office make sure it goes on its way.” Megan gave her sister a hug. “Sorry, Charis, but thanks for trying to help.”

Charis hesitated, then peeled off a dinosaur sticker and stuck it on the back of Megan’s hand. “You can have a sticker anyway,” she said with a grin.

Mom was standing nearby, and she smiled as Charis skipped away. “You know, Megan, your explanation of how payment has to be made for a letter to be delivered reminds me of salvation. Sometimes people try to make that payment. They try to pay their own way by doing good things, but that’s like using a dinosaur sticker on a letter. To get to heaven you need the real thing.”

“Right,” said Megan. “Jesus!”

Mom nodded. “We can’t pay for salvation at all—only Jesus can. He died on the cross to make the payment that guarantees our sins are forgiven and we have a place in heaven. Only He can save us from sin and deliver us to a new life with Him.” – Kelly M. Schaefer

How About You?

Did you know that the price for your salvation has been paid in full? Jesus gave His life so your sins could be forgiven and you could have a place in heaven. So don’t try to get there on your own! None of the good things you do can pay for the wrong you’ve done—only Jesus can. Accept His payment and trust in Him so you can be with Him in heaven someday. (See “The ABCs of Salvation” on the right column of this page.)

Today’s Key Verse:
Romans 5:9 Having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Accept Jesus’ payment for sin