The Mother Hen

This morning I want to sing a song for you. Some of you may know the song. It is called "Five Little Ducks." I need your help in singing this song. There is a part of the song where the mother duck says, "quack, quack, quack, quack," and I need for you to help me on that part. Maybe we should practice once before we start.

(Sing) Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack." Oh, that was great. Now I'll sing the whole song and every time I get to the mother duck part, you join in with me.

Five Little Ducks

Five little ducks went out one day,
Over the hill and far away;
Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only four little ducks came back.

Four little ducks went out one day,
Over the hill and far away;
Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only three little ducks came back.

Three little ducks went out one day,
Over the hill and far away;
Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only two little ducks came back.

Two little ducks went out one day,
Over the hill and far away;
Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But only one little duck came back.

One little duck went out one day,
Over the hill and far away;
Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
But none of the five little ducks came back.

Sad mother duck went out one day,
Over the hill and far away;
The sad mother duck said "Quack, quack, quack, quack."
And all of the five little ducks came back.

I love that song. Do you know why I like it so much? I like it because it shows just how much the mother duck loved her little ones. Each time the little ducks went out, one of them got lost. Finally the mother duck had lost all of her little ones -- but she never gave up -- she kept calling them! Do you think mother duck would have been satisfied if one, two, three, or four of the little ducks had come back? I don't think so. I think mother duck would have kept calling, "Quack, quack, quack, quack," until "ALL of the five little ducks came back!"

I think that is a good picture of the love that Jesus has for his children. The Bible tells us that one day Jesus looked over the city of Jerusalem and wept. He said, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." What a beautiful picture of Jesus. Like a mother hen, Jesus calls his children to come to him so that he can shelter and protect them.

Did Jesus stop calling his children because Jerusalem rejected him? No, he is still calling his children today. Do you think Jesus will stop calling if SOME of his children come back? I don't think so. Will Jesus will stop calling if MOST of his children come back? I don't think so. I think the Bible teaches us that Jesus loves his children so much that he won't stop calling until ALL of his children come back. He may be calling some of you today.

Dear Jesus, thank you for loving us so much that you keep calling us to come to you. Amen.

"Five Little Ducks" (PDF Songsheet) (MP3 Piano)