A Father's Love

Lucas made his first purchase last night at Barnes and Noble. We had gone there after dinner so that he could play with the Thomas and Friends trainset that they have set up in the children's department. Naturally, they also have their display of Thomas trains for sale right next to the trainset. When there was no Thomas engine available for play, Lucas noticed with excitement that there was a Thomas available in the box. His father played the part of the ogre by telling him that we couldn't take Thomas out of the box because we would have to pay for him first. Besides, he already had a Thomas engine at home.

Within a few minutes it was time for us to leave, but before heading out of the store I decided to stop off for some Starbucks. As I was putting some half-n-half into my coffee, Lucas noticed a penny on the floor. He picked it up and ran to me with a bright smile: "Look, Daddy, now we can play (sic) for Thomas." Tarren and I looked at one another, realizing that his penny wouldn't cut it, but reluctant to undercut the sheer joy of his "good fortune."

We went back downstairs to where the trains were, and he selected an engine by the name of Salty. We escalated back upstairs to the cash register, Lucas proudly plunking his prodigous penny on the countertop with profound pleasure. When papa provided his "two cents worth," Lucas was the proud owner of a new Salty engine, and he had a nickel's worth of change to spare! What a deal!

On the other hand, when one considers what our heavenly Father has graciously given us, there is no comparison. Besides freely giving us everything we need for this life (all things, from the food we eat to the air we breathe to the life we live), he also graciously bestows his greatest gifts of forgiveness from all sin and eternal life, purchased and won solely by the precious blood of his only Son. All these things he gives us, though we stand before him completely penniless, empty-handed, spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and destitute. "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:4,5).

I became twelve bucks poorer to purchase a train for my son which will give him hours of joy and happiness. Christ Jesus surrendered all riches for you and me (2 Corinthians 8:9) to purchase and win for us an eternity of bliss and freedom from sin and death.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! ... This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins: (1 John 3:1; 4:10).

A picture of Lucas and his new engine Salty: