Waiting to Hear

Bible Reading: Matthew 28:18-20

Hadley checked the mailbox in front of her house for the third time. “The mail isn’t here yet!” she told her mother. “It should have been here a long time ago. Dad

ordered me an early birthday gift online, and it’s supposed to come today. He said I could open it when it came.”

“Try to be patient,” said Mom as Hadley sat down on the front steps.

A while later, Mom noticed Hadley still sitting on the steps. “I see you’re still waiting,” said Mom. “That reminds me of a story we heard from the missionary who visited our church last week.” As she spoke, a vehicle rounded the corner.

“There’s the mail!” squealed Hadley, jumping up. She ran to the road and took the mail from the mail carrier.

“My gift came,” said Hadley, returning to the house. She began to open the package. “What story were you talking about?”

“The one where Christians were compared to mail carriers, remember?” said Mom. “Mail carriers deliver messages, and we should too. We have the most important message ever given, and God has appointed us to deliver it to the people of the world.”

“I remember,” Hadley said. “The missionary said people around the world are waiting for someone to come and give them God’s message—like I was waiting for my package.”

“Yes. But it’s not just people living in far-off places who are waiting,” said Mom. “People are also waiting here at home. They may not know they need Jesus, but often they’re searching for meaning in their lives. In a way, they’re searching for Jesus even though they don’t know it.” Mom sighed. “There are so many people who need to hear the good news of what Jesus has done to save them.”

“Yeah,” said Hadley. “I wonder if God will send me somewhere far away as a missionary someday.” Then she grinned and held up what she had pulled from the package—a small leather Bible with pink and purple flowers on the cover. “But after waiting so long for this Bible, it will help me remember to share its message with those waiting to hear it at home too.” • Ruth I. Jay

How About You?

Have you delivered God’s message to someone? You don’t need to go to a foreign country to do it. There are people all over the world waiting to hear that Jesus loves them and died and rose again to save them—including people in your hometown. Be willing to carry His message wherever He sends you, whether it’s a far-off part of the world or your own neighborhood.

Today’s Key Verse:
Mark 16:15 And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Share God’s message