Father, I wanted a car, not a Bible

Book of Jeremiah

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FATHER, I WANTED A CAR, NOT A BIBLE
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealers 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, told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and how much he loved him. He 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.

Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, “With all your money you give me a Bible?" He stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible behind.

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. He thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.

But before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to
him.

He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father's house, sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important documents and saw the Bible, new, 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 dealers 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 they are not packaged as we expected?
_________________________
There is no link. This story is about a son who learned a great lesson from his father at a very high price. The patience of his father was commendable. It was worth the wait. So many times we miss God's blessings because we are impatient, we want whatever it is that we think we want right now. It is not that way with God. Good things are worth waiting for and the best things are worth waiting a lifetime for. Even if we do not receive them in this life.
 
I have thought about why the father didn't call his son and say I bought you the car - you can go pick it up whenever you wish - the keys are with the bible I gave you - it's paid for in full - but perhaps when the father saw the sons response he realized he had not done his son any favor by making it his life's ambition to become a wealthy man. He must have indulged his son with material things to have received such a response from him. Perhaps that was his substitute for a real relationship with his son. To buy him things instead of giving him his attention and time.

The son seems to have followed in his fathers footsteps. Becoming successful according to the worlds standards.

Perhaps it was the LORD that stopped his father and said, You've done enough now. Just let him contact you. Do not do anything. I don't know. It is something to contemplate.
 

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