Lori skipped up the sidewalk to Aunt Joy's home. She liked the way her aunt treated her--like a friend rather than just a child--although she did feel that sometimes Aunt Joy talked about God a bit too much. Lori rang her doorbell. Then after chatting with her aunt a few minutes, she asked, "May I go see the flowers?"

"Of course," agreed Aunt Joy.

Lori especially liked going into Aunt Joy's flower garden, which was surrounded by a white fence. The only way to get in was through a charming gate. When she lifted the latch on the gate, hanging chimes sweetly tinkled, promising wonderful scenes inside. And just inside the gate, flowers of every color seemed to nod "hello" as they gently bobbed in the breeze, and honeysuckle vines perfumed the air.

After a little while, Lori ran back to the porch where her aunt was pouring tea and had set out some cookies. "Well, did you like my flowers?" Aunt Joy asked.

"Oh, I just love your garden!" Lori exclaimed. "I love the gate, too. I like to hear the chimes when it opens."

Aunt Joy smiled. "What if you didn't go through the gate?" she asked. "What if you refused to use it?"

"Then I wouldn't get in and I'd miss hearing the bell and seeing all the beautiful flowers," answered Lori promptly. She bit into a cookie. "That would be silly."

"Remember what I've been telling you about God's home in heaven?" asked Aunt Joy. "It's even lovelier than my garden. But you can get into God's beautiful heaven only through a special gate, the Lord Jesus--only by having your sins forgiven through Him. Do you want to be outside, never able to enjoy heaven, or would you like to come in through Jesus?"

Lori looked thoughtful. "I'd be silly not to come in, wouldn't I?" she asked slowly. "Please tell me about it once more."