Encouragement for Today

October 23, 2024 Never Left Out SHEILA WALSH Lee en español

“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 (NLT)

It all started with an innocent pink ticket that my young son, Christian, received to get into a show at an amusement park.

The day after we went to the amusement park, I was cleaning our dog Belle’s bed when the ticket fell out.

“I put it there, Mom,” Christian said. “It’s so she can get in.”

“I’m not sure Belle wants to go to the amusement park,” I said.

“It’s not for the park,” he said. “It’s so she can get into heaven. It’s her pink ticket.”

I explained to him that we don’t need a ticket to get into heaven — we go because we trust in Jesus. Exasperated, Christian told me that, yes, he knew that, but the Bible didn’t specifically say what your dog might need.

“Belle won’t be able to say anything to Jesus, Mom. But if she has a pink ticket, she should be good.”

As the years have passed, we’ve laughed as a family at Christian’s childlike commitment to ensuring his dogs’ futures. But the outrageous good news of God’s invitation is that there truly is no ticket required for us — just an open invitation to believe and receive Christ.

Have you ever scrolled through social media, noticed your friends hanging out together, and wondered, Why wasn’t I invited? I know I have. But that will never happen when it comes to our relationship with Jesus. The Bible says, “to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

Responding to God’s invitation to salvation is the most important thing that anyone can ever do. It’s not enough simply to believe in God in an abstract or general way; we have to receive this amazing gift through personal faith in Jesus Christ. A person can achieve incredible success in life or reach the peak of their profession, but if they don’t know where they’ll spend eternity, they’ve missed the greatest invitation of all.

The life Jesus offers is all about relationship. Many people faithfully sit in church but have no personal relationship with Jesus. It’s not about joining a club; it’s about falling in love with our Savior — a love that will impact every area of our lives.

Jesus has made the path to heaven as simple and clear as possible: “I am the way” (John 14:6, NLT). Heaven is not the default destination for every human being, but we get to choose it by faith. We are invited to respond to God’s invitation to life.

We can’t even begin to imagine how mind-blowing heaven will be. I want you to be there. God wants you to be there. That’s why Jesus came … and you won’t need a pink ticket!

Father God, thank You for sending Jesus and for the invitation to receive Him and live with You forever. Thank You that Your love impacts every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Are you longing for heaven, curious about what it will be like, or wondering if it makes any difference here and now? Sheila’s new book, The Hope of Heaven: How the Promise of Eternity Changes Everything, unpacks what Scripture says about our eternal home and gives you clear, biblical answers to your biggest questions. It’s the perfect book to encourage and inspire you, and there’s a separate study guide too!

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FOR DEEPER STUDY

John 14:6, “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me’” (NLT).

How can the reality of your future eternal home impact how you live here on earth? How does knowing God will make everything right in heaven change your perspective about the struggles of this life?

© 2024 by Sheila Walsh. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Baker Publishing Group for their sponsorship of today’s devotion.

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