The Graduation Gift

 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. Knowing that 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. He told him how proud he was to have such a fine son and how much he loved him. He then handed him a beautifully-wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely leather-bound Bible with his name embossed in gold on the front. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money, you gave me a Bible?" Then he stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible and his father behind.

Many years passed and the young man became a very successful businessman. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family. One day he began to think of his father and, realizing that by now he must be very old, he decided he would go and visit his father. The two had not seen each other since the son had stormed away on his graduation day. But before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and that he had willed all his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

Sudden sadness and regret filled his heart as he reached his father's home. As he began searching through his father's important papers, he saw the still-new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears in his eyes, he opened it and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined the verse, Matthew 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 these words. a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. The key had a tag attached, which had the same dealer's name that had owned 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 they are not packaged as we expected them to be? As we begin a new year, may we yield our lives to the Lord so completely that we can confidently leave the "packaging" up to Him, knowing that He always does what is best for us, and that we can trust Him to keep His promises and to meet our every need.

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~ author unknown ~