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 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 raised 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 was very old,
and though perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that
graduation day.
Before he could make arrangements, he receive a telegram telling him his
father had passed away, and willed all 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 underline 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 ?
