Dear Children,
This is a story about a poor little baby duckling that got lost from his mother and brothers and sisters. Somehow he got separated from them while swimming along in the river. The little duckling just wasn’t strong enough to swim back up stream against the current of the river to find his way back to his family. The mother duck and the other ducklings had stayed together where the current of the river wasn’t so strong. But this fuzzy little fellow had wandered into the river current, and now he couldn’t get back.
A large white swan saw the little duckling struggling and immediately came to rescue the little lost fellow. The swan guided the duckling to a safer part of the river by dropping its large beak into the water and gently pushing the duckling into calmer water. The swan, along with its mate, became foster parents to the little duckling and took good care of it.
Boys and girls, this is a wonderful picture of God’s love and care for you and me. We do not deserve His love or His care because of our sin, but He loves us just the same. We read in God’s Word, the holy Bible, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). But we also read, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)).
You may ask, “Who is a sinner?” Here is a very simple answer: Anyone who breaks one of God’s commandments is a sinner. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever disobeyed your mother or father? Have you ever taken a piece of candy without asking? I know all of us would have to hang our heads and say, “Yes.” That makes each one of us a sinner, and it only takes one sin to keep us out of heaven!
Now then, this poor little duckling made a big mistake by swimming away from his mother. I wonder how long it took him to understand he needed help. When the big white swan came along to help him, do you think the duckling said to the swan, “Go away! I don’t need your help!” That would have been very foolish for the duckling to say to the swan.
You know, Gramma and I are very happy that our God looked down from heaven and saw us in our lost and sinful condition, even though we did not realize it at the time. Because He loves and cares for each one of us, He sent His only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to die on Calvary’s cross to rescue us from our sins so that we would not end up in the lake of fire! What a great love He had for you and me! Those of us who have accepted His offer of love and have been washed clean of our sins through the blood of the Lord Jesus can now say, “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:1515Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. (2 Corinthians 9:15)). And I’m sure if the duckling could speak swan language, it would have said to the big white swan, “Thanks for rescuing me!”
Have you ever sung this little song of thankfulness to the Lord Jesus?
Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul,
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole,
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation, so rich and free.
Lots of love to each one of you,
Grampa and Gramma
ML-11/04/2012