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A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sport car in a dealer's showroom, and since his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation day approached, the young man awaited the signs that his father has 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 beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened a box and found a lovely, leather Bible with the man's name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible with his father. Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family, but realized his father was 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 passed away, and willed all his possessions to his son. He needed to come home 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 new 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, Matthew 7:11 "And if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more does your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?" As he read the 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 sport car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words "PAID IN FULL"
This young man must have felt very cheated when finding a Bible and not a car upon graduation. Many fell cheated in the world when they don't get what they want. Yet, two thousand years ago, Jesus went to His Death upon the cross to give us not what we wanted, but what we needed. That gift that cost Him the suffering and death upon the cross was bought and paid for with His blood. We may truly say that our salvation was PAID IN FULL... |
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