THE TOO-LATE BEAR

Once there was a little black bear who always sat under a shade tree by a wide creek. He liked to catch fish to eat for his supper and was very good at doing that. When the little bear spied a fish swimming nearby and reached in to grab it, he hardly ever missed. He knew that all the other bears thought him to be very wise and good.

Finally the weather began to change. The shade tree lost it's leaves. The air turned cooler. The days were getting shorter, and the nights were getting longer. This was the time of year that little bears knew they should hide from the dreadful winter that was soon to come. They would prepare a comfy little den and hibernate there for the winter. Just before he went into his own den for the winter, one big brown bear came to the little black bear and said, "Winter is coming. You better find your den and find it fast."

The little black bear only laughed at the big brown bear. "There is plenty of time," he said. "I am going to wait a little longer. See how many fish I am catching. I'm having the best time of my life!"

Soon all the other bears were safe and warm in their own dens, and the little black bear was all alone. At first he was lonely and worried about being all alone, but winter still did not come, so the little black bear got very brave.

"There's no hurry to hibernate," he thought. "When I see winter coming I will go into the woods and crawl in a den and will be just as safe and warm as the others are."

Then one night it got very cold. The wind blew harder and a snow began to fall. The little black bear finally decided it was time to go into the woods to try to find his home for the winter.

"Oh," said the little black bear. "If only I had gone to my den before." The little black bear began to think of all his bear friends who were already safe and warm in their dens for the winter.

The little bear finally reached a place in the woods that seemed like it would make a good den for the winter. But when he went inside, he found that he was too late. Another bear was already living in that den. Through the snowstorm, the little black bear pressed on to try and find another den. Again, he found a bear living in that good place. The little bear tried again and again to find himself a safe home for the winter. But he was too late. All the good dens were already taken. It became harder and harder for him to keep going on in that terrible winter storm. Then he just stopped trying and laid down in the snow. That little bear never moved again.

Are you like that too-late bear? Maybe you have not received Jesus as your Savior because you keep putting it off. The Bible says, "Now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation." The too-late bear did not plan on being lost, but he was lost because he had waited too long. I'm sure you don't want to wait until it's too late and be lost in your sin. Don't be like the too-late bear -- too late and on the outside of Heaven. Be like the wise bears and come to Jesus today. Ask Him to save you from your sins. Receive Jesus as your Savior.

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Mousetales is a ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship of Columbia-Montour Counties, PA.