The Wrong Way

Read: Philippians 3:4-9 As Dad and Micah walked into the station, the train on the track gave two long whistles. “It looks like our train is almost ready to pull out—we must be later than I thought!” said Dad. “Good thing I got our tickets ahead of time. Come on!” They made a dash for it and were just settling down in their seats when the train began to move. Micah was so excited he could hardly sit still. “I can’t believe we’re really going to see the Cubs play in person! How many miles is it to Chicago, Dad?” “I don’t know exactly. You can ask the conductor. Here he comes now—get your ticket ready! Here, you can give him mine too.” The conductor approached, and Micah proudly held out the tickets. “Thank you, young man,” the conductor said. He looked at the tickets, and then turned to Dad. “Sir, I’m afraid you’ve either got the wrong tickets or the wrong train. Your tickets are for Chicago, but this train is going to St. Louis.” “Oh no!” exclaimed Dad. “How could I have made such a mistake? I was sure I had the right train.” “You can get off at the next station,” the conductor said. “Then you can catch the first train back the other way. It shouldn’t take too long.” “Are we going to make it to Chicago, Dad?” Micah asked anxiously. “What about the ball game?” “I think we’ll still make it to the game,” Dad assured him. “You know, Micah, this kind of thing happens a lot.” “You mean a lot of people get on the wrong train?” Micah asked. “I was thinking of something even worse than that,” Dad replied. “Everyone wants to go to heaven someday, but when we try to get there the wrong way, it’s like we’re on the wrong train. No matter how good we try to be, the Bible says we won’t get to heaven by anything we do. Do you know the way that does lead to heaven, Micah?” “Sure,” Micah answered. “Jesus says He’s the way.” “Right,” said Dad. “He’s the one and only way to heaven. We can only have eternal life with God by trusting in Him.” –Harry C. Trover How about you? Are you trying to get to heaven by living a good life? By going to church, giving to people in need, or doing nice things for others? If so, you’re going the wrong way! None of those things will get you to heaven. Jesus is the only way. It’s not what you do, but what He did for you on the cross, that gives you eternal life. Trust in Him today! (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?) Today's Key Verse: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 (NKJV) Today's Key Thought: Jesus is the way to heaven