DON'T WIND UP LIKE THE SPOTTED LANTERNFLY

This summer we have had a serious infestation of spotted lanternflies in my neck of the woods, and the plague is not yet over.

At first it was just one interesting looking bug sitting on a leaf on a plant on my balcony. It must not have liked it much though, because after I flicked it off, I never saw another one on any of the outdoor plants. They do however enjoy walking around and around the floor of the balcony and the table the plants are on.

They have also swarmed my windows.

At first it was just a few of them walking up the outside of the screens, but the few turned into hordes of them in the corners and all across the glass.

Despite how careful I have been not to open my windows, and to make sure I quickly close the screen door behind me when I go out to water my plants, a couple of them have found their way into my apartment.

They are actually quite pretty, and I need to constantly remind myself of how destructive they are, and not be deceived by appearances.

I still can't bring myself to stomp on them, but I do scoop the ones that manage to get inside up in a piece of tissue and flush them down the toilet.

The other day I saw one get caught in a spider web, and felt overwhelmed by sadness as I watched it try to escape. And I know that what I am about to write next is probably a real stretch, but I thought about how even though God does not want anyone to perish, but for everyone to repent and receive the gift of salvation Jesus purchased for us on the cross (2 Peter 3:9), He will not impose His will on us or force us to accept it. The choice is ours.

In the case of the lanternfly, I'm sure it was oblivious to the trap it was about to walk into. It was just going on its merry way, not realizing there was any danger ahead, as would be the case if you were headed towards a cavernous hole in the sidewalk hidden from view, unless someone warned you about it or yanked you aside.

So that is what I am doing now. If you have not yet received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I am begging you not to be deceived as I once was, into thinking that there are many paths to God, or that we get to Heaven by our good works.

Regardless of what anyone else may have told you, or what your intellect tries to convince you of, or how foolish you feel the message sounds, please, please don't ignore it. Please don't let pride stand in your way.

The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," and in Romans 6:23, that "the wages of sin is death." Because of Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden, a vast gulf separates us from our Heavenly Father, and there is no way we can cross it through our own efforts. Only one path can lead us across the bridge to eternal life, and that is Jesus, who is "The way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through [Him]" (John 14:6).

Jesus stands at the door of your heart knocking and waiting for you to answer and let Him in (Revelation 3:20). I pray that you would open the door before it is too late.