Bible Reading: Psalm 95:1-2; John 19:28-30; Ephesians 2:8-9

"I'm going to Mr. Harvey's shop to pick up the bookcase I made for Dad," Wesley told his little brother. "Want to come along? We'll take the wagon, and you can help pull it."

Zion clapped his hands. "Yay! You'll tell Dad the present is from me too, won't you? Because I'm helping?" Wesley smiled and agreed.

At Mr. Harvey's shop, Wesley showed Zion the bookcase. Then he walked to a back corner of the shop where Mr. Harvey was working. "Thanks for showing me how to make the bookcase for my dad," said Wesley. "Here's the money I owe for the supplies I used."

Mr. Harvey took the money, and they both turned toward the bookcase. Wesley gasped. Zion was standing next to it with a raised hammer. "What are you doing, Zion?" yelled Wesley.

"I'm helping make Dad's bookcase," Zion replied. He gave it a whack just before Wesley was able to grab the hammer from his hand. "You said I could help, Wesley!"

"I know, Zion," said Wesley. "But you can't help make it, because it's already totally finished!" He was relieved to see that Zion had made only a very small dent on the back of the bookcase and it wouldn't show. "You can help me pull it home, and you can help give it to Dad, okay?"

Mr. Harvey smiled. "Wesley, while you were working on the bookcase, we talked several times about how we can get to heaven. Do you remember what you told me?"

"Sure. Like I said, I try hard to be good," said Wesley. "I obey my parents. I go to church. I'm pretty sure I'll make it to heaven."

"But, Wesley," said Mr. Harvey, "just like Zion tried to help with your finished gift of a bookcase, you're trying to help God with His finished gift of salvation and eternal life. When Jesus died on the cross, He said, 'It is finished.' All of our sinful mistakes--past, present, and future--were paid for by Jesus's sacrifice for us. There's nothing you can do to help. You just need to trust that He's already done everything for you and accept His forgiveness. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Wesley slowly ran his fingers over the top of the bookcase. "Yeah," he said. "I think I do."

–Mary Rose Pearson