Under His Wing

This morning we’re going to sing a song together. Some of you may know the song; it’s called "Five Little Ducks." There is a part of the song where the mother duck says, "quack, quack, quack, quack." When you hear that part, let’s all sing together and quack our hands. (Show kids how to make beaks with their hands.)  

Five Little Ducks:

Five little ducks went out one day,

Over the hill and far away;

Mother duck said, "Quack, quack, quack, quack." (Quack hands.)

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." (Quack hands.)

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." (Quack hands.)

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." (Quack hands.)

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." (Quack hands.)

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." (Quack hands.)

And all of the five little ducks came back.

This song is just so sweet! It shows 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 even 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 five of the little ducks came back!"

This story is a lot like 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." 

Jesus was crying out in sadness over Jerusalem. Jerusalem was a very special place for God’s chosen people. But when Jesus came, the people of Jerusalem rejected Him. Jesus longed for His children to turn from their ways and come to Him. He promised a blessing for those who would accept Him. We’re promised that same blessing today. Like a mother hen, Jesus calls His children to come to Him so that He can shelter and protect them.

Even though Jerusalem rejected Jesus, He never stopped calling His children. If only SOME of Jesus’ children come back, He won’t stop calling. If ALMOST all of His children come to Him, He still won’t stop calling. 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.