The Little Boy And His Boat

Once there was a little boy who made a sailboat. He painstakingly carved the hull from a block of wood and then he painted it blue. He fitted it with a mast and sails. When it was finished he carried his new boat to the edge of the river. He tied a string to the front of the boat, then he carefully placed it in the water and slowly let out the string.

Oh how smoothly that boat sailed! The little boy sat there in the warm sunshine and admired his boat bobbing happily on the water. Then suddenly a strong current caught the boat. The boy tried to pull it back to shore, but the string broke and the boat began to race downstream. He ran across the sandy shore as fast as his legs could carry him, but his boat slipped out of sight. All afternoon the little boy searched for his treasured boat, until finally it was too dark to search any longer. He sadly went home and that night he cried himself to sleep.

A few days later on the way home from school the boy passed a second hand shop and he couldn’t believe his eyes! There in the window was the little boat. It was scratched and dirty, and the sails were torn, but it was definitely his own little boat. Somebody must have found that boat and sold it to the shop. The little boy hurried inside and said to the owner, “Sir, that’s my boat in the window that I made. Can I have it back, please?”

“Sorry, son” said the man. “Someone else brought in that boat this morning and if you want it, you’ll have to buy it for two dollars.”

The little boy hurried home and he counted all of his money. When he reached the second hand shop, he handed his money over the counter. “Here’s the money for my boat.” he said to the owner and he walked joyously from the store hugging his boat.

He was elated to have his own boat back. He took it home and cleaned it up, giving it a fresh coat of paint and brand new sails. Happily he said to the boat, “You are twice mine, first I made you and now I bought you.”

The boy was willing to pay the high price to get his boat back, even though he was the original designer and owner. It didn’t matter that the boat was torn up and battered. It meant far more to him than appearances alone. It was his own beautiful creation and it meant the world to him.

And so we too are like that little boat. Made in love by the Master Designer, God Himself. Lovingly crafted and a unique creation ordained to bring our Heavenly Father joy. ‘For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus’ (Ephesians 2:10). But in our rebellion we broke the cord of love that attached us to Him and went our own way – often far from Him into a place of turbulence and unrest.

Ephesians 2: 1,3 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world….and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Yet we were not forgotten. In love the Father came looking for us.

Ephesians 2:4 But God, rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.

And then at just the right time, He sent His dear Son, Jesus to redeem us from our waywardness, forgive us of our sinfulness.

1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

God bought us back with a high price: the death of Jesus. We were His and through the sacrifice of our dear Savior, have become His again. God has reclaimed what was rightly His.

And our LORD’s response when those He loves submit to the drawing of His Spirit and in faith accept the gospel message?

Luke 15:7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Remember the shepherd who found his lost sheep? The woman who found the lost coin? The watchful father who was rejoined with his prodigal son? God and all the hosts of Heaven sing with loud exaltation when what rightfully belongs to the King comes home!

Have you responded to the drawing of God’s Spirit? He commands that each of His own, answer the cry and submit to our Designer and Creator. We are far more valuable than the little boy’s boat. We are His precious children, who need to be reclaimed and rerouted back to our LORD. For we have all sinned and fallen far short of God’s design for our lives. Let’s heed this message. Answer the call. And respond in humble submission, by yielding to the Spirit’s voice.