Paid In Full

By now, all the presents have been opened and the children have started working on their Christmas list for next year. Stockings that were hanging by the chimney have been gathered and put back into storage and in some households (such as mine) the tree is down and along with the decorations are neatly packed away. 
I wonder how many young people asked for a special gift they did not receive this year? With each present they opened were they more and more disappointed because that special gift was not there?...Did they throw a tantrum with their parents and toss their gifts away? Parents know what their children need and for the safety of their child they will not buy some things children will ask for.


Several months ago someone sent me a short story at my e-mail address. I kept it thinking the time may come I would want to share it. Sadly, there are those today that are just as spoiled and selfish as the young man in the story....


A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom.  Knowing his father could well afford it, he told his dad, “I’ve picked out my graduation gift, I want this car,” handing his dad a picture of the one he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man looked for signs that his father had purchased the car. He could find no evidence of it and his dad was not talking.

Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father came to him and told him how proud he was of him. With much love in his eyes, he handed his son a beautifully wrapped present.

The young man opened it and found a leather-bound Bible. Angrily,he raised his voice at his father; “You mean to tell me, with all your money you only buy me a Bible for my graduation?” The boy stormed out of the house tossing the Bible at his dad as he left….

Many years passed and the young man became successful in business. He had a beautiful home and a wonderful family. Neither of which he shared with his father.

One day, he began to realize his father was very old and he thought he should go see him. He had not seen him since that graduation day long ago... Before he could arrange the visit, he received a telegram from his father’s lawyer telling him his father had passed away and he needed to come home immediately so he could settle his father's will.   

After his father’s funeral, the son began to search through his father’s desk. There he found the Bible that had caused him to leave home... With tears in his eyes, he opened the Bible and just inside was an envelope. When he opened it, he found a tag with the car dealer's name he recognized. Attached to the tag was a still shiny key.  It was dated on the day of his graduation and written out in bold letters were the words …PAID IN FULL.


How many times have we as "Children of God" been disappointed with Him...Have we gotten angry with Him because He has not answered a prayer for us, or if He did we were angry because it was not exactly what we had asked for. Just as earthly parents with their children, so is God with His children, He knows what we need. No matter how many tantrums we throw with God, it will not matter, He is still the parent... And the way I see it, we are far better off with Him taking care of our lives in His own way and in His own time than we are trying to take care of ourselves... It was through His love He made it possible for me to have my eternal home in Heaven and marked  " Paid in Full" on my deed...


Walk with God,
Mary Frances King