Read: Romans 3:23-25

Matthew lined up his first putt. He bounced his golf ball off the side wall, past the spinning windmill, and it rolled to a stop just a few feet away from the hole.

“Great shot, buddy!” said Dad. It was Matthew’s first time mini-golfing, and his dad was teaching him how to play. “That was a great way to start the game. My turn now, and then whoever is farther away from the hole after that goes next.” Dad steadied his shoulders, took aim, and swung.

Dad’s ball went straight through the tunnel, barely dodging the windmill blades. It kept rolling over the green turf, slowed to a crawl, and almost stopped before tipping into the cup.

“Wow, a hole in one! I can’t believe it!” Matthew exclaimed. He was sure he’d never be able to play like that.

“I admit, that was pretty cool. I didn’t think I was going to be able to do that,” Dad said as he reached into the cup to retrieve his ball. “It’s really tough to get a hole in one.”

“Do you think I’ll ever be able to do that?” Matthew asked.

“I’m sure you could, with practice. You even got pretty close on your first shot today.” They continued to play, and Matthew kept trying for his own hole in one, but he never quite made it.

“You’re right, Dad, getting a hole in one is a lot tougher than it looks. I don’t think I’ll ever be good enough.” Matthew sighed. “It’s like what I learned at church last week. We talked about how no one is good enough to get into heaven on their own either.”

Dad nodded. “That’s a really good point. Earning your way into heaven would be like getting a hole in one every time your whole life—only way more impossible! No matter how hard we try, we could never be good enough to get into heaven. There’s only one person who is.”

“Right. Jesus!” said Matthew. “He died on the cross so we wouldn’t have to be punished for the bad stuff we’ve done. The only way to get to heaven is to trust Him to save us.”

Matthew lined up his ball and putted, then gave his dad a huge grin as it went straight into the hole.

–Dylan Kraayenbrink

How about you? Do you think you can get into heaven on your own? If you’ve done even just one bad thing—like telling a little lie to your parents or taking something that’s not yours—you have failed. And the Bible says we’ve all failed to do what’s right. That’s why God sent His perfect Son, Jesus, to die for us. We can only get into heaven by trusting in Him. (To learn more, go to Have You Heard the Good News?)

Today Key Verse: As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.” Romans 3:10 (NIV)

Today's Key Thought: Only Jesus can bring you into heaven