Remember the Duck?

In his book, "Will Daylight Come?" Robert Heffler pens this moving
illustration:

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was
given a slingshot to play with, out in the woods. He practiced in the
woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting discouraged, he headed
back to dinner.

As he was walking back, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse,
he let fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked
and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to see
his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch that day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes."

But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the
kitchen today, didn't you Johnny?" And then she whispered to him, "Remember
the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.

Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma
said, "I'm sorry, but I need Sally to help me make supper."

But Sally smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told
me he wanted to help." And she whispered again, "Remember the duck?" Sally
went fishing and Johnny stayed.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he
finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that
he killed the duck. She knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart,
I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing.
But because I love you, I forgave you. But, I was just wondering how long
you would let Sally make a slave of you."

********
You would think that once we receive forgiveness from God, Satan would
leave us alone, but he doesn't. He continues to accuse us and tries to make
us feel guilty. That's what he does best -- he's an accuser. Sometimes we
make the mistake of listening to him and thus remain a slave. Forgiveness
offers freedom -- freedom from guilt as well as freedom from sin.

"Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 'Now salvation, and
strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come,
for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and
night, has been cast down.' " (Rev. 12:10)

May you seek to know God's forgiveness, and the freedom that goes with
it.

Alan Smith

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