By Synthia Esther

He was only ten years old, rather small in physical build.  His brown eyes and brown hair framed his light complected, heart shaped face.  He stood by the street corner in blue jeans and a striped yellow, white, and red cotton shirt, with a back pack in tow.  He was waiting for the bus to pick him up, to take him home.  He looked from side to side, left to right, eyeing the traffic as it passed his way.  

A businessman was also going to catch the bus that would bring him to the subway entrance, on his way home from work.  He noticed the  young boy who was all alone, seemingly waiting and watching the many cars that passed him by.  He inquistly asked the boy,  "Hi, are you needing some help?  Are you lost?" 

"No sir, I'm not lost, I am just waiting for the bus to pick me up."

"The bus doesn't stop here.  You will need to walk a block, turn left, and go another half of block down.  Then you will arrive at the nearest bus stop.  It's not that far from here."

"Thank-you Sir, but I have faith that the bus will pick me up right where I am."

"Young man, the bus won't pick you up unless you are at a designated bus stop.  You are wasting your time if you remain standing here."

"I have faith the bus will stop and pick me up here, right where I stand."

About that time a bus was seen coming up the road.  The bus stopped, and the driver opened the door for the young man to enter.  The boy turned to the businessman who was standing in awe with a confused look on his face, and with a confident smile proclaimed, "I knew the bus driver would stop for me, because he is my father."  

DO YOU KNOW WHO YOUR FATHER IS?

The young boy had faith because he knew who his father was.  He did not doubt that his father would pick him up no matter "where" he stood.  They had a relationship of Father and Son.  Where do you stand today?  Do you know who your Father is?  His name is Jesus!  And He is your "true" Father, Savior, and Friend.  No matter where you stand today, your Heavenly Father will always pick you up, right where you are. 

"Yet, O Lord, you are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand."   -  Isaiah:64:8

YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER

God our Heavenly Father loved us all so much, He gave His only begotton son Jesus, to die on Calvary's cross. - John 3:16.  Jesus became our substitute by the shedding of His blood, which paid sins price for humanities redeption.  God made Him (Jesus), who had not sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. - 2nd Corinthians 5:21 

You may ask, "Why did Jesus have to shed His blood and die for our sins to be forgiven?"  The Bible says in Leviticus 17:11, "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes attonement for ones life." Hebrews 9:22, ..."without the shedding of blood there is not forgiveness." Christ's shed blood, death, and resurrection provides us the free gift of salvation and eternal life - Romans 6:23. Because of His unconditional, everlasting love, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us - Romans 10:13.  We are set free by the blood of the lamb of sacrifice, Jesus Christ!