Billy could hardly sleep the night before his birthday! How he wished he knew for sure that Mother and Father would give him what he wanted most of all—a dog!
What fun it would be to have a dog all his own! They could play together, go fishing together, and be real pals. Billy could think of lots of tricks to teach a smart dog. He could even sleep at the foot of his bed at night if Mother didn’t mind—and just about that time Billy fell asleep.
The next morning he almost flew downstairs. There at his place at the table were some packages, and on the floor was a big one—big enough to hold a small dog! Billy’s fingers seemed to be all thumbs when he tried to open that big box. Suddenly the box moved a bit. “Woof, Woof” came a puppy’s bark! In a few seconds a happy little boy was hugging the little dog that he had decided to call “Pal.” Bunning first to Mother and then to Father, Billy gave them each a big kiss and a “Thank you!”
When all the gifts had been opened, Father opened his big Bible and Billy and Mother sat quietly to listen. Before he began to read, lie asked his boy, “Billy, what is the best gift you have received?”
“Pal,” quickly answered Billy.
“God has a gift for you too, my boy, a better gift than Pal. It is the greatest gift in all the world. Paul said, ‘Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.’ Your Mother and I pray each day that you will receive that gift. Do you know what God’s gift is?”
Billy looked a bit puzzled, so Father went on. “‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.’ That is God’s gift to you. God gave Him to die on the cross for your sins, Billy. He took your punishment. Then God says, ‘that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).”
After a few moments Billy said, “I would like to have God’s gift. May I tell Him so?” Then Billy bowed his head and prayed, “Thank you, God, for sending Jesus to die for me, and thank you, Lord Jesus, for taking away my sins.”
ML 03/12/1950