He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. ... (Isaiah 40:11 NLT)

My son was two years old. I often read one particular book to him, a child's version of the parable of the lost sheep.

You're familiar with this story, right? It involves a shepherd who leaves ninety-nine sheep to look for one who has become lost. As an aside, that is not a logical choice to make, but it is God's story, not mine. God usually tells stories quite differently than most of us would tell them!

As usual, little Elijah was totally absorbed. The story and its accompanying illustrations had drawn him in again. But this time he was emotional. His chin quivered and his lips pouted. His eyes were moist and fixed.

His eyes were moist and fixed.

As we finished the part where the shepherd finds the lost sheep, Elijah reached for the picture. The sheep has fallen into a rocky place and clearly has a broken leg. The shepherd is about to bandage the wound.

We looked at that image for a moment. I turned the page but Elijah turned it back. He wanted to look some more. We were quiet for a few moments. Then my son spoke. "Elijah sheep. Daddy shepherd."

And all along I thought I was reading the story to him. From Danny Sims blog.

 

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© 2006 Danny Sims. Used by permission.

Title: "All Along, I Thought I Was Reading to Him"
Author: Danny Sims
Publication Date: April 16, 2006

Every Man's Battle: Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time by Stephen Arterburn, et. al. In this compassionate brother-to-brother guide, the authors tackle sexual temptation head-on, offering a practical battle plan for men--married or single--who desire to live by God's standard.

Danny Sims is the preaching minister at the Altamesa Church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas, and a longtime Heartlight supporter and friend.

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