A Father's Gift

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 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, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, 
leather-bound bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his 
voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give me a bible?" and stormed out 
of the house, leaving the bible. 

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 seem 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 his father's important papers and saw the still 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, 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 they are not packaged as we expected?