IJMC - Read the Moral, Not the Delivery

Betsy, how interesting that this one was the very next post waiting in 
the queue. If I had sent out Saturday's before I'd left, you'd have read 
it already. Timing on these posts seems to go like that more often 
nowadays. I'll think of something, usually something I've seen or read 
years ago, and then the next post will be about what I was thinking of. 
Perhaps my memory and mind are good like that. Perhaps it is fate. I 
don't know, but I read on and enjoy!                               -dave




MAN's DESIRES!
 
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 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 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 rose 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 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 had passed away, and willed all of 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 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 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??????