Bible Reading: Romans 6:18-23

At midnight on New Year’s Eve, the Wagner family always walked to ice-covered Pine Lake where they would bring in the New Year under the stars as they tossed glow sticks into the air.

But this year Aiden was in a grumpy mood. When his dad told him to do something, Aiden put it off as long as he could.

“You’re skating on thin ice, Aiden,” Dad said. He said that whenever Aiden was about to get in big trouble.

Now at midnight Aiden dashed onto the frozen lake. “We’re here!”

“Stay close,” Dad warned. “The weather has been unusually warm. The area around the dock is especially unstable because of the heat from the underwater plants growing there.”

Aiden threw his glow sticks in the air. Immediately the blue one skidded across the ice toward the dock. He knew Dad had warned him about the dock area, but it was so close…

Suddenly he heard the ice crack beneath him, and he was in the water. “Help! Help!” Aiden screamed. The water was freezing, and he was sure he was going to drown.

“Put your feet down,” Dad commanded. “You should be able to touch bottom.”

Aiden did as Dad said and was surprised to discover the water only came to his waist. Soon he was back on solid ground. They ran back to the house, where Mom wrapped him in blankets.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” Aiden said once he’d stopped shivering. “If I’d listened to you and not gone on the thin ice…”

“You wouldn’t have fallen into the lake,” Dad finished for him. “But you were on thin ice earlier in the day too, remember?”

“You mean when I didn’t obey you right away when you told me to do something?”

Dad nodded. “Maybe it didn’t seem like a big deal to you at the time, but it was a sin. And sin always leads to trouble.” He put an arm around Aiden. “The good news is that we can stop our sinful behavior and start doing what’s right–much like how you were able to stand up in the water. Because Jesus has saved us from sin, it has no power over us. We can always go to Jesus for forgiveness and trust Him to help us change our ways.”

–Linda Weddle

How About You?
Do you like to skate on thin ice? Do you see how close you can get to doing something wrong without getting in trouble? The Bible tells us if we know what the right thing to do is but don’t do it, we’re sinning–and sin always leads to trouble. Through Jesus we have the power to turn from sin and do what’s right. If you’re skating on thin ice, confess your sin to Jesus and trust Him to help you choose to do what is right.

Today’s Key Verse:
If you fail to do what you know is right, you are sinning. (ERV) (James 4:17 )

Today’s Key Thought:
Stay away from sin