Trouble at the Airport

Bible Reading: Psalm 139:1-6, 23-24; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Hebrews 4:13

“We’re finally going to Seattle!” Mom exclaimed after checking in at the airport.

“Attle?” Billy said. “Who’s Attle?”

Susan gave him a funny look. “We’re going to see Grandma.”

Billy tried but failed to hide his smile. “Mom just said we’re going to see Attle.”

Susan groaned. “Seattle. The city.” Billy laughed.

As they waited at the security gate, Mom asked, “Billy, are all your toy cars in your backpack?”

Billy placed his backpack on the conveyor belt. “Sure are!” All except the Formula One race car in his pocket–his favorite. But nobody would see it.

Mom and Susan emptied their pockets into the bin and walked through the metal detector first. When Billy entered, a buzzer blared. He froze. Busted.

Immediately a security guard stopped him. “Empty your pockets.” Billy handed over his race car. The officer inspected the toy and made Billy walk through the metal detector again, this time with empty pockets.

Once he had cleared the checkpoint, Billy walked to where Mom and Susan were waiting for him. He held up both hands. “Sorry.”

Mom shook her head as they started for their gate. “Billy, you thought if I didn’t see the race car, the metal detector would miss it too, is that it?”

He shrugged. “I guess I thought I had everyone fooled.”

“Well, if you’re ever tempted to fool me–or anyone else–again, remember you can’t hide things from God. He knows what’s in our pockets–and in our hearts too.”

Billy thought for a second. “He even knows what I’m thinking, right?”

Mom nodded. “Every thought.”

Susan grinned. “He even knows when you’re not thinking. You really thought

you could slip a race car through security?”

Billy sighed. “It wasn’t my finest moment, I’ll admit.”

“The good news is that even though God knows everything about us, He still loves us and forgives us for our wrongs,” said Mom. “We don’t ever have to hide anything from Him because Jesus paid the price for all our sins on the cross.”

Billy stuffed the race car deep in his pocket. Every time he saw that car, he’d remember that he could never hide anything from God.

–Matt Shoemaker

How About You?
Have you ever done something you shouldn’t have and tried to hide it? Our human hearts are naturally sinful, and sometimes we try to hide our wrongs. But God sees our sin–He knows everything about us and loves us anyway! And He offers us forgiveness through Jesus, who took the punishment for our sin. If there’s a sin that’s bothering you, don’t try to hide it. Confess it to Jesus, and consider talking to a trusted Christian adult about it too.

Today’s Key Verse:
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. (NIV) (Hebrews 4:13)

Today’s Key Thought:
God sees the unseen