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| Beliefs - Bible Studies The Father's Gift |
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A young man named Sinner once received from his Father a beautiful bright red
Salvation Sedan. It was sparkling new, and it delighted the young man's heart,
the more so because it was a gift.
"'I did nothing whatever to earn it,' the young man exulted. 'He just gave it to
me. Why, I couldn't have saved enough money to buy a car like this if I'd worked
for years and years. It was a gift--a free gift! Indeed so delighted was he with his
new red car that he changed his own name to be more like it--from Sinner to
Saved.
"He polished his car every day. He took pictures of it to send to his friends and
relatives. He looked it over from front to back. He even crawled underneath to
admire its excellent workmanship. He never tired of telling those who came
along. 'My Father gave it to me--a free gift!'
"Some days later the young man was seen out on the highway, pushing his
bright red car. A man came up and introduced himself as Mr. Helper, and asked
if he might be of assistance.
"'Oh, thank you,' the young man said, panting a little. 'I'm doing just fine! I had
a little trouble at first because the bumper kept cutting into my hands--especially
on the hills. But then a man helped me--a wonderful man, a specialist on car
bodies--he showed me how you can mount little rubber cushions right here on
the underside of the bumper--and then you can push for hours and hours
without even a blister!'
"Mr. Helper nodded. 'Yes, I can see that those rubber cushions would be a
help.'
"'And I've been trying out something new,' the young man continued with some
enthusiasm. You put your back against the car, and then lift at a 45-degree
angle. It works like a charm, especially on muddy roads.'
"'Yes,' Mr. Helper agreed, 'I can see how that would help. Have you pushed the
car quite a ways?'
"'Oh, yes, more than 200 miles,' the young man said proudly.
"'It's a beautiful car,' Mr. Helper admitted.
"The young man's eyes lit up. 'It was a gift, you know. My Father gave it to me-
a free gift.'
"Mr. Helper nodded, without speaking. He walked around the car and after a
time he said, 'It must be quite tiring, pushing a big car like this.'
"'Yes, it is,' the young man admitted with a manly sigh. 'But, then, it's a wonderful
thing to get tired for, isn't it? A free gift from my Father--the least I can do is
push it!' Some of the enthusiasm drained from his voice, but he still managed to
smile.
"Mr. Helper opened the right door of the bright red car and said, 'Won't you get
in and sit down?' "The young man drew back uncertainly. It seemed a little
presumptuous for a person to get inside the car. He knew that there was an
inside, but certainly you would never get anywhere if you used it. Yet, after a
moment's hesitation, he decided that perhaps it would be all right to just slide in
and sit down.
"Mr. Helper walked around, opened the other door, and slid in behind the
steering wheel. He touched the starter button, and moments later they were
speeding down the highway at 50 miles an hour.
"The young man was quite taken aback. He found the ride pleasant—even a bit
exciting! But it seemed unorthodox, somehow. He knew that you must have a
red Salvation Sedan to be admitted through the gate at the end of the highway.
But getting it there, well, that was his responsibility, wasn't it...?"
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. – Eph 2:8
- Author Unknown
- Contributed by Rudy Oakes
December 2003
Salvation Sedan. It was sparkling new, and it delighted the young man's heart,
the more so because it was a gift.
"'I did nothing whatever to earn it,' the young man exulted. 'He just gave it to
me. Why, I couldn't have saved enough money to buy a car like this if I'd worked
for years and years. It was a gift--a free gift! Indeed so delighted was he with his
new red car that he changed his own name to be more like it--from Sinner to
Saved.
"He polished his car every day. He took pictures of it to send to his friends and
relatives. He looked it over from front to back. He even crawled underneath to
admire its excellent workmanship. He never tired of telling those who came
along. 'My Father gave it to me--a free gift!'
"Some days later the young man was seen out on the highway, pushing his
bright red car. A man came up and introduced himself as Mr. Helper, and asked
if he might be of assistance.
"'Oh, thank you,' the young man said, panting a little. 'I'm doing just fine! I had
a little trouble at first because the bumper kept cutting into my hands--especially
on the hills. But then a man helped me--a wonderful man, a specialist on car
bodies--he showed me how you can mount little rubber cushions right here on
the underside of the bumper--and then you can push for hours and hours
without even a blister!'
"Mr. Helper nodded. 'Yes, I can see that those rubber cushions would be a
help.'
"'And I've been trying out something new,' the young man continued with some
enthusiasm. You put your back against the car, and then lift at a 45-degree
angle. It works like a charm, especially on muddy roads.'
"'Yes,' Mr. Helper agreed, 'I can see how that would help. Have you pushed the
car quite a ways?'
"'Oh, yes, more than 200 miles,' the young man said proudly.
"'It's a beautiful car,' Mr. Helper admitted.
"The young man's eyes lit up. 'It was a gift, you know. My Father gave it to me-
a free gift.'
"Mr. Helper nodded, without speaking. He walked around the car and after a
time he said, 'It must be quite tiring, pushing a big car like this.'
"'Yes, it is,' the young man admitted with a manly sigh. 'But, then, it's a wonderful
thing to get tired for, isn't it? A free gift from my Father--the least I can do is
push it!' Some of the enthusiasm drained from his voice, but he still managed to
smile.
"Mr. Helper opened the right door of the bright red car and said, 'Won't you get
in and sit down?' "The young man drew back uncertainly. It seemed a little
presumptuous for a person to get inside the car. He knew that there was an
inside, but certainly you would never get anywhere if you used it. Yet, after a
moment's hesitation, he decided that perhaps it would be all right to just slide in
and sit down.
"Mr. Helper walked around, opened the other door, and slid in behind the
steering wheel. He touched the starter button, and moments later they were
speeding down the highway at 50 miles an hour.
"The young man was quite taken aback. He found the ride pleasant—even a bit
exciting! But it seemed unorthodox, somehow. He knew that you must have a
red Salvation Sedan to be admitted through the gate at the end of the highway.
But getting it there, well, that was his responsibility, wasn't it...?"
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. – Eph 2:8
- Author Unknown
- Contributed by Rudy Oakes
December 2003