Stung by a Bee!

Have you ever been stung by a bee? Did it hurt? Of course it did! Most people avoid bees just so they won't get stung.

One summer afternoon a young boy was playing outside the door of his home. His mother was nearby in the kitchen.

Suddenly a bee came buzzing around the boy's head, frightening him. He tried to scare it away by waving his hand, but he only made it angry. Back it came again and again, closer each time.

In fear he ran to his mother who had been watching him. With motherly love she wrapped her arms around him, protecting him.

She had hardly done this when the angry bee stung her. She felt the pain but she also knew that her son would not be hurt. She told him, "You are safe now; the bee cannot hurt you. Its stinger is in my arm. It can only sting once."

This is a wonderful picture of what Jesus has done for us. Because of our sins, we deserve to be punished by God. But Jesus willingly suffered and died for our sins on a cross: "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities... and by His stripes we are healed... the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:5, 6).

He was our substitute. God punished Him for our sins instead of us: "Christ also suffered for us... (He) bore our sins in His own body on the tree... Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 2:21, 24; 3:18).

To be saved from the deadly sting of sins we must accept Jesus as our substitute. We do this by confessing our sins to God. He will forgive us for Jesus' sake. The sting of God's punishment was taken away by Jesus, and God will not punish twice for our sins. Isn't that wonderful?

"He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life" (John 5:24).

All you need to do is admit that you are a sinner and believe that Jesus died for your sins. God will forgive you for Jesus' sake, and you will not be punished. He is waiting for you to run to Him like the boy in our story who ran to his mother. Will you do it today?