Eye Of Love

Speaker A: Don't go away, kids. It's story time. Boys and girls for Jesus this our earnest prayer Boys and girls for Jesus Home at school and playing everywhere we'll tell the world of life in Jesus he is all our song There is a unity Jesus, won't you come along?

Speaker B: Well, hi there. Come on. Good morning. I'm Uncle Charlie inviting you to stick around for Children's Bible Hour Storytime. And we have a story with lots and lots of excitement in it. You'll see what I mean in a moment when we have our story called Eye of Love. But first, we need a good go along with the story song. I was that one lost sheep savor.

Speaker A: The 90 and nine in the fold Save for the night it was stormy and cold blood said the shepherd when counting the mourn One sheep is missing there should be one more the shepherd went out to search for his sheep and all through the night on that rocky steep he saw Till he found him with love and he found him and I was that one lashing.

Speaker B: Well, now that we've had our music, let's get to our good story. It's exciting, but it also has a wonderful message of God's love to us through Jesus Christ. It's written for the Children's Bible Hour by Harry Trover and entitled the Eye of Love.

David Archer helps his dad run the Happy Trails Sheep Ranch. There's just mom, dad and David to keep each other company. And since every boy has to have a pal or pet or best of all, both. Young Dave's special pet and pal is a little orphan lamb whose mother was killed by a wolf. Dave calls the lamb Snowflake. As our story begins, Dave is sitting in the kitchen talking to his mom, who is preparing supper.

Speaker C: Well, tomorrow's the day of the big sale. How many of our flock is dad going to sell?

Speaker D: I don't know for sure. He hasn't decided. But he's bringing them all in from Mountain Meadow tonight.

Speaker C: He won't sell Snowflake, will he?

Speaker D: You're a pet lamb. Of course not. Selling Snowflake would be like selling one of the family here. I think I hear the sheep now. Your father will be hungry. Why don't you run down to the basement and get some grape jam and we'll be ready for a good hot supper on this cold night.

Speaker C: Okay, Mom.

Speaker D: More coffee, dad?

Speaker B: Oh, about a half a cup, I guess.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, that's plenty.

Second cup tastes pretty good.

It was cold to the bone. Looks like a real bad storm's coming up tonight.

Speaker C: Then can I bring Snowflake into the house and let him sleep by the stove tonight, Mom?

Speaker D: Well, I guess so. But just for tonight. Dave, Snowflake is almost too big to have in the house anymore. But since there's a storm tonight, I guess it'll be all right.

Speaker C: Swell, Mom. I'll go down and get him Now.

Speaker D: Dave, better put on your coat. It's beginning to rain.

Speaker B: He's gone.

Never saw a boy so crazy about a dumb sheep.

Speaker D: Now, dad, try to understand. It's good for David to have a pet to talk to and play with.

Speaker B: But why a sheep? Why doesn't he take a shine to our dog, Biff? Now, there's one of the smartest sheep dogs in the country.

Speaker D: Why don't you take a shine to scalp potatoes?

Speaker B: Because I like home fried potatoes best.

Speaker D: Okay, okay. There's your answer. Dave likes the sheep best.

Speaker B: Well, it's inconvenient, to say the least. Snowflake is the best lamb we've got. I was planning to sell him tomorrow.

Speaker D: Not Snowflake.

Speaker B: Not Snowflake. You sound like I'm selling one of the family.

Speaker D: You are one of Dave's family.

Speaker B: Well, as I said, it's in.

Speaker D: There's Dave at the door.

Speaker B: Now, Mother, close the door.

Speaker C: Snowflake's not there. He's missing.

Speaker D: He's missing.

Speaker B: Now that you mention it, I didn't see him underfoot on the way in from Mountain Meadow this evening.

Speaker C: Dad, you let him get lost. Maybe a wolf got.

Speaker B: I let him get lost, dad.

Speaker C: Please, Dad, I gotta go back to the mountain meadow and look for snowflakes.

Speaker B: In this storm? Now, don't be foolish, son. You might get lost in the dark yourself. Besides, in the dark, in this storm, you'd never find him. Are you sure he's not with the rest of the flock?

Speaker C: No, he's not. Please, Dad, I gotta go look for my lamb. He may be hurt.

Speaker D: We must be sensible. Son, your father's right. We can't let you go out in the dark of the night and in a storm like this to look for one sheep. Not even Snowflake.

Speaker C: But Snowflake is my lamb.

Speaker D: Well, then dad can go look for him. He knows where the flock was grazing today. He'll know best where to look.

Speaker C: Let me go, too.

Speaker D: There's no need of both of you getting soaked to the skin and catching cold.

Speaker B: No, just one of us. Me.

Speaker D: You said yourself, dad, that Snowflake was the best of the flock.

Why don't you just pretend you're going there to look for some money you lost.

Speaker B: That won't work, dear. I wouldn't go up on that mountain to look for $1,000 on a night like but to keep peace in the family. I'll go get the flashlight and go have a look.

Speaker D: Dave, it's getting late. I think you'd better get to bed. You've got to go to school tomorrow, you know.

Speaker C: Please, Mom. I just couldn't sleep till dad gets back. I gotta know.

Speaker E: There.

Speaker C: Look out the window, Mom. Dad's coming.

Speaker D: I'd better pour him a cup of hot coffee. He'll be wet and cold.

Speaker C: Did you find Snowflake, Dad?

Speaker D: No.

Speaker B: No, I didn't, son. I looked and I looked.

I don't know where he is.

Speaker C: Did you really look, dad?

Speaker B: Of course I did, David. I'm sorry, but I just couldn't find him. Now you get on to bed. You have school tomorrow. O flake's gone. And you might just as well act like a man and accept.

Soon the house was quiet.

Mother and dad were fast asleep, but.

Speaker E: Dave was wide awake.

Speaker B: Slowly he sat up in bed, listening.

All was quiet.

Quickly he dressed. He crept down the stairs, got his father's flashlight and stepped to the door. Then he stopped, turned back, and from the rack on the wall took down his father's dear rifle, put some shells in his pocket and then slipped quietly out the door and headed for Mountain Meadow to look for the lost sheep.

Speaker A: Snowflake.

Speaker B: As Dave stumbled over the rocks, he fell and dropped his flashlight.

The palms of his hands were cut by the sharp ro. But he found the light and he got back to his feet. He tried to wipe the rain out of his eyes so he could see.

He kept going, searching, calling snow.

Then down over the side of a steep cliff, he heard Snowflake cry.

Speaker C: Snowflake.

Speaker B: Dave clung to roots and trunks of trees as he scrambled down the side of the cliff, following the sound of Snowflake's cry. The branches whipped him. A thorn bush cut his face. But he kept going until he reached Snowflake. The lamb's leg was broken from its fall down the cliff. Dave stooped to pick up the lamb.

Suddenly, he realized he was not the only one looking for Snowflake in the middle of the storm.

For right in front of him, not 10ft away, he saw a big gray timber wolf, the biggest one he had ever seen. As the wolf crouched a leap at the crippled lamb, its long yellow fangs bar Dave raised the rifle. The wolf snarled, the rifle roared, and the big gray wolf fell dead at Dave's feet.

Speaker C: Is it all right if I leave Snowflake on this blanket by the stove, Mother?

Speaker D: Yes, but let me fix you up. Now that you and dad have put a splint on Snowflake's leg, let me wash the blood off your face and your hands.

Speaker C: It doesn't hurt a bit, Mom. Honest. Just so. I found Snowflake. That's all that counts with me.

Speaker B: You know, Mother, when I found this boy had gone to look for that sheep, I was ready to tan him good.

But I guess it wouldn't be right to punish him for being the kind of boy we hoped he'd be when we named him after David the shepherd boy.

I've been reminded tonight what a good shepherd is.

One that'll leave the 90 and 9 and go out and look for the one that is lost.

Speaker D: I see what you mean.

Speaker B: But why didn't I find that sheep when I went up there to look? I searched all over the place. I was right near the spot where Dave says he found Snowflake, but I didn't see a trace of him. Hmm.

Speaker D: Maybe it was because David was looking with the eye of love.

Love helps you to keep looking when everyone else has given up the search.

Love keeps believing when everyone else has turned away in disgust and doubt.

Love keeps hoping when everyone else has given up hope.

Love keeps on loving when everyone else has ceased to love.

I guess that explains why Dave found Snowflake.

And it's love that makes the Lord Jesus our Savior and shepherd. Keep on searching for lost sinners.

You know, dad, Dave and Snowflake helps me to understand the story of Jesus and his search for lost sinners in a way that I never understood before.

Speaker A: There were 90 and nine that safely lay in the shelter of the foe but one was out of hills away far off from the gates of gold Lord, thou hast heard thy 90 and 9 are they not enough for thee but the shepherd this of mine has wandered away from me and although the road be rough and steep I go to the desert to find my sheep I go to the desert to find my sheep but all through the mountain thunder rim and all from the rocky sea their rose where cry to the gates of heaven Rejoice I have found my sheep and the angels that go around the throne Rejoice for the Lord brings back his arms Rejoice for the Lord.

Speaker E: Are there any lost sheep listening right now? Boys and girls or even adults? And you've strayed far from God. Or perhaps you've never trusted Christ as Savior in the first place. Jesus the good shepherd is waiting to give you the gift of eternal life. All you have to do is accept it. First of all, admit that you're a sinner and you can't save yourself. Then believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to save you from your sins. And then c confess those sins to him and invite him to come into your heart and life. Before we go, a quick reminder to check out our award winning website, cbhministries.org stories to read, games to play, Bible courses you can take right online, and much more. CBHMinistries.org Storytime is a listener supported production of CBH Ministries, PO Box 1, Grand Rapids, MI 49508. We're here because God loves kids. Goodbye now.