The Father's Gift
~Unknown~
A young man was getting ready to
graduate from college. For many months he had admired a
beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing
his father could well afford it, he told him that was
all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the
young man awaited signs that his father had purchased
the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his
father called him into his private study. His father
told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and
told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a
beautifully wrapped gift box.
Curious, and somewhat disappointed,
the young man opened the box and found a lovely,
leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed
in gold. Angry, he rose his voice to his father and said
"with all your money, you give me a Bible?"
and stormed out of the house.
Many years passed and the young man
was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home
and wonderful family, but realized his father very old,
and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen
him since that graduation day.
Before he could make arrangements, he
received a telegram telling him his father had passed
away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He
needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's
house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He
began to search through his father's important papers
and saw the still gift-wrapped Bible, just as he had
left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and
began to turn the pages. His father had carefully
underlined a verse, Matt.7:11, "And if ye, being
evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven,
give to those who ask Him?"
As he read those words, a car key
dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with
the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports
car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his
graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss God's
blessings because we can't see past our own desires? |
