YOU ARE PRECIOUS
- Beena Didi

Dear child, I know that you lead a good Christian life. You must be watching your parents and elders in whatever they do. If you have godly parents you are lucky, because you can learn from them good Christian values in life. But the most important thing is to know the Lord personally. Then He will be your Lord and Saviour. And you can follow Him in life. You are very precious that Jesus gave His life on the cross so that you can have eternal life. There is one story which shows the love of the Creator.

Once a boy wanted to make a beautiful boat. He had a tremendous job to do. He collected some logs and came to his house. The boy took his tool box, and sat to work. He removed the bark. Cut and sewn the logs into suitable pieces. He used his wood-saw, chisel and hammer to give different shapes to the pieces. Slowly and steadily he joined the pieces. He polished the rough edges. The gaps and joints were closed with tar.

While making the boat the boy got some cuts and bruises in his hands. But he thoroughly enjoyed making it. Finally he painted it very colourfully. The boy waited patiently till the paint got dried. The boat looked very attractive. He was eager to play with the boat on the village stream.

When the boat was ready, the boy took it to the stream. He was very happy. He carefully placed the boat on the water. The boat floated on the water, and slowly drifted downstream. The boy followed it slowly, thrilled that his boat was moving smoothly.

Suddenly it happened. A powerful mountain torrent rushed down the stream. It carried mud, tree branches and small boulders. With fear the boy saw his boat swinging wildly. He could not reach out to catch the boat. Soon the muddy current toppled the boat, and it was carried downstream swiftly. He ran down the stream. But the boat was nowhere to be seen. “Where is my lovely boat?” he cried. He continued to search for his boat further down the stream. But it was nowhere to be seen. Finally he realized that he had lost his boat.

Tired and exhausted, he returned to his house. He was very sad. He looked at his hands which bore the marks of cuts and bruises. Now he felt that his hands were also hurting.

The boy was very fond of playing with boat in the stream. Now that he lost his boat, he didn't know what to do. The next day he decided to search for his boat once again in the place where the stream merges into a wide but shallow pond. The whole day he searched for the boat at the banks of the pond. He searched among the weeds and plants. He found so many other things like sandals, broken toys, pottery and wooden things, but his boat was not there.

He lost all hopes, and returned home. While coming back to his house, he walked through the local market. He was casually glancing here and there, thinking about his lost boat. Suddenly he saw his boat in a toy shop! “Hey, that's my boat!” He shouted. He went to the shop and told the shopkeeper, “That is my boat. Sir, please give me my boat.” “I bought it from a fisherman at a price, so I can't give you the boat free,” said the shopkeeper. The boy insisted and showed his hands, “See I cut and bruised my hands to make the boat so beautiful.” The shopkeeper calmed him down, “You pay me the price, and I will give you the boat.”

The boy promised him that he would give the money soon, and ran to his house. He begged his father to give the money for his boat. His father gave him the money. He ran back to the shop and paid the price. Finally the boat was his again. He held it close to his heart. He whispered to the boat, “You were mine, but I had lost you. And now you are doubly mine! I made you with my hands, and now I have bought you with a price!”

Dear child, this is the way Jesus loves you. He created you. But as long as you are away from Him, you are like the lost boat. All mankind drifted away from God by disobeying Him and doing wrong things. They became slaves to the devil. Then Jesus came to the world to buy mankind back from the devil. He paid a heavy price by His most painful death on the cross. By that death, He has bought you also for Himself! But, only when you pray to Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour, He will come to your heart. He will guide your life, and be with you. It is great to live with your loving heavenly Father. Let us pray: “Lord Jesus, thank you for buying me back from the devil. Be my Lord and Saviour. Amen!” May the Lord bless you!