Jewel # 127 (Dec 18, 2012)

          

  

"And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up MY JEWELS."

(MALACHI 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren,

The Ducklings' Rescue

Do you know any songs about ducks?  I can think of two that children like to sing.  One starts like this: "Five little ducks went swimming one day."  Another one is, "Five little ducks that I once knew."  Our story is about six little ducks, and unlike the songs, it is not all happy.

Aaron arrived at work one morning in the spring, and when he got out of his car, he noticed a mother duck acting very strange near the drain in the parking lot.  He went to investigate, but the closer he got to the drain, the more excited the mother duck became, even hissing at him.  He could hear tiny quacks coming from down inside the drain, and then he knew what was making the mother duck so upset.  Her babies had fallen into the drain hole!

Two of Aaron's coworkers arrived, and they pulled off the grate that was covering the drain hole.  Aaron took off his shoes and socks and climbed down into the drain.  He was able to grab the first duckling and hand it out to a coworker who set it on the ground.  But the duckling quickly jumped back into the drain and this time landed on Aaron's back.  That little duckling did not know he was in trouble!

There are boys and girls who have never heard that they are sinners and need a Saviour to save them from their sins.  Just like that little duckling, they are in trouble and don't know it.  They need to hear that the Lord Jesus Christ loves them so much He died for them and that He is offering to wash their sins away in the blood He shed on Calvary's cross.

Here's what happened to that duckling.  Aaron quickly scooped up the duckling again and handed it out to a coworker.  That little duckling was given a second chance.

Now what about you boys and girls who have heard many times that you are a sinner and need to come to the Lord Jesus to have your sins washed away?  Some of you are just like "second chance duckling."  You have heard many times that the Bible says, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).  What are you waiting for?  It's dangerous to wait, because time is running out!  Accept the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour right now and be safe!

While the mother duck paced nearby, Aaron was able to rescue five ducklings from inside the drain.  He heard a sixth one's tiny quacking, but as he listened, the quacking became more and more faint.  He waited for about fifteen minutes, hoping the duckling would swim back to him, but his feet became numb from the cold, and he had to get out of the drain.  Time had run out for that last duckling.  How sad to leave one behind.

What do you think the mother duck did next?  She could not say "thank you" to Aaron, but she stopped pacing and waddled away with the five saved ducklings following.  She headed towards a creek that was not too far away, but far enough away from the danger of that drain where one little duckling was left behind.

Boys and girls, many of you know that the Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus is going to come again to take to His happy home in heaven everyone who has accepted the Lord Jesus as his or her Saviour.  The Bible doesn't tell us when that will happen, but it does tell us to be ready:  "Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man [Jesus] cometh" (Matthew 24:44).

Just as that one little duckling was left behind, will you be left behind?  

Love you all,

Grandpa   

Jewel # 126 (Dec 3, 2012)

"And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord

of hosts, in that day when I 

make up My Jewels."

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren,

Rhinos - Ugly and Mean!

"Will the unicorn be willing to serve Thee, or abide by thy crib [stable]? . . .

wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great?"

(Job 39:9,11)

The unicorn is mentioned several times in the Bible.  While no on knows for sure, some think it refers to the rhino, perhaps because the word "rhinoceros" means "nose-horned."  All rhinos have horns - some have two while others have just one.  These horns actually are not made of bone but are made of hair-like fibers growing tightly together and are very tough and strong.

The white rhino of Africa (the largest) can be 15 feet long, over 6 feet tall and weigh 7000 pounds.  Its massive head has large, trumpet-like ears and huge nostrils on an ugly, wrinkled snout with two horns.  Its hide is thick, tough and warty.

Its loose skin hangs in folds and is the home of many parasites, which attract birds known as oxpeckers.  These birds may spend all day on a rhino's back and sides, providing considerable relief as they dig our and eat the troublesome parasites.  The birds also give warning calls when other animals or people approach.  This is another example of the Creator providing benefits between two creatures that are nothing alike.

These beasts are truly vicious and short-tempered.  They will charge anything crossing their path, be it an animal, person or even a car or train. Although they look clumsy on their short legs, they run as fast as a horse.  It is a terrifying experience to be charged by one galloping at top speed, its feet pounding the ground while it snorts loudly through flared nostrils.

Its front horn, with which it defends itself, is two to three feet long.  Its eyesight is poor, but a strong sense of smell and extra-sharp hearing make up for that problem.  They are lightening fast when charging and extremely dangerous when wounded.  Rhinos are often hunted for their horns, which sell for hight prices on the black market.  Natives who like to carry daggers with handles made from the horns also hunt them.  Although protected by the governments of Africa and Southeast Asia, poachers kill great numbers illegally just to get the horns.  It is feared these animals may someday become extinct unless the poaching can be stopped.

When those who have accepted the Lord Jesus as Saviour are with Him in heaven, we will learn and understand why such creatures as rhinos have been given a place in His creation.  Meanwhile we can say, 

"Thou art worthy . . . for Thou hast created all things,

 and for Thy pleasure they are and were created."

(Revelation 4:11)

Love you all

Grandpa