December 2nd
Read: Matthew 23:37; Isaiah 30:15; 28:12; Deuteronomy 30:19-20
Except for some floes breaking up near the shore, the lake had frozen over, and our ducks had not yet come into their pen for the winter . Each morning they had stopped for their ration of cracked corn but had refused to be lured, chased, or otherwise brought into their pen. All of us were conscious of urgency for their safety, because during the previous winter a Canada goose had been trapped as the water froze around her, and she had died before rescue arrived.
Our teenage daughter Jane was the first to spy the flock that morning. We stood as a family, five of us wondering what to do. Suddenly Jane whirled and ran from the house. When she appeared again outside the window, she was struggling into her father’s waders, which were much too long for her. Undeterred by our attempts to stop her, she ran clumsily into the icy water, calling to the ducks at every step. She went so far out into the water that we feared she would swamp the waders and fall into the icy lake, but she persisted, only to have the ducks swim ahead of her between the cubes of ice. In the end she heeded our cries of caution and returned dejectedly to shore and to the dry warmth of the house. Tears filled her eyes as she watched them swim unconcernedly away.
She loved those ducks. Each one had its own personality, and they had been raised under our protection and care. Now it seemed that they had little appreciation for our concern or for her self-sacrificing act of courage. Later that day we rejoiced with Jane, who announced that the ducks had returned to our beach as a flock, not one missing. They were rounded up by the kids and put into the safety of their pen for the winter.
The parallel comes to mind that Jesus sacrificed His very life for us to bring us to the safety of the Father, and there are still so many who are unheeding of His efforts to bring us “to shore”. He loves us so much. How stubbornly we resist Him! How unconcernedly we go our own way! How much rejoicing there would be if we would come “home” to safety!
I WOULD NOT
God gave me love and tender care
And promised to be always there,
But I went my own willful way;
I chose to suffer every day.
He could have lifted my despair,
But I would not.
He longed to give me peace and rest
And strength to meet the hardest test.
Had I returned to take His hand,
I could have found the promised land;
Beneath His wings He would have blessed,
But I would not.
Although I longed to be made whole,
On ashes cold I fed my soul.
I could have had God’s living fire
And healing to fill my desire
Had I but given Him control,
But I would not.
Oh Self, thou waster of the years,
Thou summoner of needless tears,
Thou stubborn and deceitful will,
Begone, that Spirit now might fill;
Let His work quench my fretful fears
And “I will not.”
“Therefore choose life,” is His command,
And now, at last, I understand;
His life will come in freshening spate
If I but open my flood gate.
He will reclaim that desert land
Of “I Would Not.”
Prayer: Dear Lord, please work on any stubbornness You may see in me and root it out.
